CRAVE CRUSH the urban girl's blog to all that you CRAVE

Planning Your Special Day

March 31, 2010 by Suzanne N. | Comments (0)

Weddings are fun, memorable and romantic, but with so many details involved in making a wedding uniquely suited for you and your fiancé, planning them can be tough – but somebody’s gotta do it! So if you need a little behind-the-scenes magic for your memorable evening, call one of our favorite wedding planners!

Joyce Westin Dunne Weddings Since 1989 , the weddings of Joyce Westin Dunne have set a new standard in elegant perfection. She entered the wedding consultant business from a successful career in the fashion industry. This experience provides Joyce with a unique perspective and a collection of talented vendors. She has close working relationships with Chicago’s finest venues and private clubs, including The University Club, The Chicago Club, The Drake Hotel, The Ritz-Carlton and Lake Forest Academy. Joyce’s wedding planning expertise has been featured in Modern Bride, The New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, and the Chicago Sun Times. Joyce has produced wedding ranging in size from intimate gatherings to large formal affairs of 600. She partners with her brides through every step of the planning process, maintaining close contact through meetings, phone, fax and email. With an understated, elegant style, she helps create truly remarkable weeding experiences.

Engaging Events by Ali From a small cocktail reception to a lavish black-tie dance, Engaging Events plans beautifully orchestrated weddings. Ali’s organization skills, negotiation savvy, and appreciation for the “art” of customer service have been invaluable in working with vendors, staying within a budget, and creating beautiful, flawless events for clients. Ali is a certified Professional Bridal Consultant™ with the Association of Bridal Consultants. Ali has been quoted in Chicago Tribune, Chicago Magazine, The Chicago Sun-Times, Cosmopolitan Magazine, Modern Bride Chicago and Chicago Social Brides. She has also appeared on the Channel 7 and Channel 2 newscasts in Chicago and was recently featured in Chicago’s “Daily Candy” as one of the top wedding vendors in Chicago. For Ali, no occasion is too large or too small; she treats each event with care, respect, professionalism, and conscientious commitment to excellence.

Add More ~ing To Your Life

March 29, 2010 by Sarah Clise | Comments (0)

In her debut book, Add More ~ing To Your Life, motivational speaker and life coach Gabrielle Bernstein takes readers on a fun and fulfilling journey to happiness in 30 days. She promotes writing, meditation, and movement as ways to combat ego and release romantic illusions. For every goal in her book, she lays out an Equation with multiple steps packed with reflection and perspective. Some of her unique blues-blasting concepts include compiling a Compassion List, creating a Personal-Shift Statement, and ceasing to Future Trip. By the end of the book she’s created an arsenal of happiness-promoting exercises to conquer negative thinking and create personal change. Read on to learn more about this gifted guru and what she craves.

What is your motto, slogan, or theme song?
Expect Miracles

What’s the best advice you’ve been given?
The best advice I was ever given was from my mother when she told me that meditation would guide me to serenity.

In a past life you were…
A preacher in South America.

How do you get ready to write?
I clean my desk. Then I meditate. Following my meditation I write an outline. I’m a mess without an outline. I turn off my phone and I unplug the Internet. Then I start writing.

What’s a place that inspires you and why?
The place where I’m most inspired is in Abadiania Brazil. I travel to Abadiania, the home of psychic surgeon and spiritual healer John of God. When I am in Brazil with John of God and his team of mediums I feel my strongest sense of inspiration.

What makes you feel most CRAVE – able?
My authenticity. What you see is what you get.

What’s a cause you are passionate about and why?
I feel deeply connected to helping people overcome addiction and more specifically the issue of teenage suicide due to prescription drugs. I am a recovering drug addict and I am very transparent about my sobriety in order to help others recover. I plan to write a book on overcoming addiction in all areas of life.

What makes you laugh so hard you cry?
So many things. I don’t know where to begin…

In 10 years you want to be…
In 10 years I plan to be known as the messenger for happiness for the next generation. I will have a television show and several published books. I will be a mother and dwell in New York City and in a warm weather climate.

Describe yourself in 5 words.
I am spirited, loquacious, alive, connected, love

* This publication was sent to the CRAVEcompany for review

Gal’s Best Friend

March 27, 2010 by Suzanne N. | Comments (0)

Sure, every CRAVE girl loves to be pampered now and then, but what about your pup? These Chicago spots know how to show your pet some love!

Specializing in bakery and boutique items for the discerning dog, K9 Cookie Company greets furry guests with free treats! With flavor like bacon, peanut butter, and bar-b-que, your dog is sure to love these cookies! Cant make it to the store, they also deliver! Or establish a monthy order, so your dog is sure not to go without her favorite treat!

Ready for some fun? Take your pooch to a Major League Baseball game at White Sox Dog Day on June 3rd! You and your pet can watch the Sox face off against the Rangers. This event normally sells out, so be sure to purchase tickets early!

Looking to indulge your pup? Stop by the The Downtown Dog! This upscale doggy boutique features a wide variety of pet items from practical to elegant to fanciful, plus a line of tasty gourmet treats. Pooches are welcome to come in and sniff out the goodies. Dogs must be under their owner’s control and leashed.

Every Sunday during the summer months, you and your pooch can a Canine Cruise! Mercury Skyline Cruiseline offers a cruise just for dogs (and their human friends) every Sunday at 10 am July through September. This 90 minute river and lakefront tour highlights beautiful downtown Chicago landmarks. A great opportunity to see Chicago, get out on the water, and spend some time with your pet this summer!

Grant Park Bark Park is located in the famous Grant Park along the lake in Chicago. It is fully fenced and is about 18,000 square feet in size. Here, dogs and roam free all hours of the day!

Looking for a fancy outfit for your pooch? Stop by Pink Poodle Dog Boutique. Here you will find canine tutus, feather boas, tiaras and more! They also offer a wide array of pet grooming services.

Fashion Sense is a Relative Term

March 24, 2010 by Lynn Edwards | Comments (2)

In honor of the recent Fashion Week hoopla, I thought I’d share my fashion “sense” and I use that term quite loosely. For those of you that have read the CRAVE Crack Up blogs, you’ve quickly come to learn I am “challenged” in many areas of my life that include domestically, home interiorally, culinarily, and more. Fashion is no exception….I have narrowly escaped being featured in the black-boxed face photo in many a fashion magazine.

Every Spring I am inspired to clean out the closet, buy some colorful shoes and skip around looking cute. I pledge to wear a pretty floral print dress just because they look so dang fun on the TV ads but then realize I would actually have to shave my legs.

I adore all the fabulous sunglasses but find myself still sporting the $3.99 pair I bought at the Ritzville AM/PM after a long night. I vowed to never buy expensive eyewear because I was sure I’d lose or break them…these signature shades I picked up near the corn dogs have lasted me five years, naturally!

Each April I travel to Las Vegas for some much needed girl fun. One year I committed myself to having the right “Vegas” shoes, so I splurged. I found just the right pair of smoking hot black strappy pumps. When I got there, I made it from my room to the elevator in the hotel before I had to return to the room for my flip flops. They looked super cute in the pre-func party pics though.

A southern friend once sent me a Spring purse set. By “set” I mean that it looked like one of those Christmas dolls that you open and find 15 more mini-Christmas dolls inside, only this had a matching wallet, sunglass case, etc., it had a million pieces. I had no idea what to do with all of them but they sure were cute. Don’t be surprised that I don’t have a purse “set”…I just recently realized you should have more than one bag for different seasons.

Speaking of seasons, when I lived in the south I was outcast due to my major faux pas of wearing white heels before Easter. Silly me, it had been 80 degrees since New Year’s Eve so I figured white shoes with my cute floral skirt would work. The fashion police literally showed up and locked me in a dressing room at Dillard’s until Easter for that high crime.

You might say I am a “function over form” kind of gal. I am all about comfort and all my jeans have to do is at least accommodate my cell phone and lip gloss.

I do love coats, it’s a strange addiction but I must have a hundred in my closet. Ok, 50% are fleece, but I do dig the outer layer action. Funny thing is I am always so warm, I rarely wear them, not just because most of them would look ridiculous with my floral dress but also because I don’t want to be bothered with carrying one around. I would probably leave it in some coat check somewhere and lose it….like my $3.99 expensive eyewear.

Here’s to putting on a pretty floral dress and skipping around looking cute this Spring!

What’s this Bloom and Tone party all about?

March 22, 2010 by Michele K. | Comments (3)

Sure, you’ve been hearing about the upcoming Bloom and Tone CRAVEparty, but you may be asking yourself “What will this be like? What can I expect?” Turns out, you can expect A LOT! Get ready for the best CRAVEparty to-date, and one that will go in the record books!

Tighten and Tone
Sign-up to try four 30-minute unique and fresh fitness regimens! You get to choose your four favorite fitness classes out of six fun and fabulous options!

Relax and Indulge
Each fitness class will spaced by free-time sessions for you to indulge in mini-spa services, shop in lululemon athletica’s pop-up store, engage with and learn from a nutritionist, pep-up your wardrobe with a style coach, try delicious and healthy snacks, relax in the CRAVE Cooldown Lounge and more to completely refresh and exhilarate yourself this Spring!

Some of the fun, fabulous activities during the Bloom and Tone CRAVEparty include:

• Be Bright Pink: Bright Pink believes in the beauty and strength of women. We exist to enlighten and empower high-risk individuals to take control of their breast and ovarian health by providing education, support and a sense of community for a better, brighter future.
• Beauty on Call: With a fresh approach to retail freelance staffing and on-location beauty and spa services, Beauty on Call has filled a void in the beauty industry.
• Blakely FIT: Join Blakely F.I.T., Outstanding Personal Training Exclusively for Women, for an enlightening discussion on the key to successful and permanent weight loss.
• Harmony Mind Body Fitness: Harmony Mind Body Fitness is Chicago’s premier Pilates studio, located in the heart of Lincoln Park.  Join Harmony Director, Laura Dixon, for a 30-minute Pilates Mat class that will be sure to strengthen your core, lengthen your spine, and rejuvenate your spirit!
• Infuse Yoga Spa: Stretch & strengthen your body, focus your mind, and be refreshed. Flow through this dynamic yoga sequence for a boost of pure energy with Infuse.
• LifeStyle Physical Therapy & Balance Center: Join LifeStyle for an interactive discussion on fitness, health and wellness, including injury prevention tips and stretching techniques.
• lululemon athletica: lululemon athletica makes technical clothing for yoga, dancing, running, and most other sweaty pursuits. We create components for people to live longer, healthier, more fun lives. Join lululemon athletica in their pop-up shop at the event!
• MAC Cosmetics: Complimentary make-up applications by the fabulous, cutting-edge MAC Cosmetics team!
• MD Skincare: Complimentary facial peels by Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare™ (formerly MD Skincare® by Dr. Dennis Gross) that help skin meet its most beautiful potential by combining a blend of the best natural antioxidants, vitamins and botanicals with the most scientifically advanced delivery systems.
• Nail Taxi: Complimentary mini-manicures and hand massages by Nail Taxi; exceptional nail care for clients at their homes, offices, hotels, hospitals, corporate events, etc…wherever the client desires.
• Reflections: Reflections is an affordable wardrobe/clothing consultant company based in Chicago. Our goal is for you to shop in your closet and transform your existing items into today’s style. We offer budget friendly services; wardrobe audits, personal shopping, special occasion shopping and gift buying.
• S Factor: The exhilarating S Factor Workout consists of floor and standing movements combining ballet, yoga, Pilates and sophisticated striptease to lengthen, strengthen and celebrate your feminine curves.
• Sandy Sfikas: As a registered dietitian and nutrition editor, Sandy Sfikas is endlessly inspired by the magic of food. Empowering others to eat better and live healthier is fulfilling, but also challenging. So, staying up-to-date on the latest nutrition research is a priority of hers. Sandy is constantly enlightened by colleagues and clients, and she’s thankful to have a career that I love!
• Starfruit: Starfruit is handing-out coupons and samples of delicious Kefir smoothies like Reloaded, which is stocked with protein and fruit.
• Stila: Complimentary make-up applications by the fabulous, sweet Stila team!
• The Dailey Method: The Dailey Method® is a unique combination of ballet barre work, core conditioning, stretching, and orthopedic exercises. After each muscle group is worked, through high repetition using a small range of motion, it is alternately stretched to lengthen the muscles.
• The Spa on Oak: Complimentary mini-oxygen facials by Oak Street’s newest resident!
• Vitamin Water: Healthy hydration for every occasion! The CRAVE Cooldown Lounge is sponsored by Vitamin Water!

Clearly, you don’t want to miss this! Register for the Bloom and Tone CRAVEparty for only $25 here.

Day-of Tips:

• Arrive prepared! Don’t forget to wear your favorite workout gear. We want you to be comfortable and cool throughout the day.
• Free parking lot in front of venue and the Brown Line Montrose stop is just a block away!
• Don’t forget to snag your lululemon athletica goody bag!

Do It Yourself Design Inspirations We CRAVE

March 22, 2010 by Lilla | Comments (0)

Spring is finally just around the corner. We are gearing up to do all our regular spring cleaning tasks – flip mattresses, wash curtains, and finally organize our junk drawers. One of the highlights of spring is rebirth and getting a new lease on life . Well, how about doing the same for your home or an old piece of furniture? Small changes are sure to make a large difference in any home! We love to turn to designspongeonline.com for inspiration and really love the before & after posts. Check out some of our favorite makeovers:

• From gloomy kitchen to apple green colored charmer
• From boring and granny-like rocking chair to modern rockin’ chic
• From an apartment that belongs in a Golden Girls flashback to a place that Carrie Bradshaw can call home!

Do you have any home DIYs plans for spring?

The Dailey Method: Interview with Tami

March 21, 2010 by Michele K. | Comments (2)

The Dailey Method is a unique combination of ballet barre work, core conditioning, stretching, and orthopedic exercises. This challenging one-hour class effectively strengthens, tones and lengthens the entire body.  Light weights are utilized to define the upper body while mat and ballet barre work target the thighs, seat and abdominals.  After each muscle group is worked, through high repetition using a small range of motion, it is alternately stretched to lengthen the muscles. The Dailey Method in Chicago’s Bucktown neighborhood offers these one-hour classes and a bit more… owner, Tami Conway. Immediately upon meeting Tami, she makes you feel like family. This is absolutely important when you’re signing up for a fitness class! How many of us dread heading to the gym and find excuses not to go? Each and every one of us has done this at some point! Knowing Tami, however, opens up a new feeling toward being fit. Because of the relationship she forms with every client, the experience at The Dailey Method in Bucktown is like taking a trip to a dear friend’s home. We should mention her staff implores the same friendly attitude. Let’s learn more about Tami, and her positively contagious vibe…

How would you describe your business in exactly three adjectives?
effective, addicting, and empowering

People may be surprised to know…
That this workout is for EVERYONE!  It is amazing workout for all different ability levels, sexes, shapes, and sizes, and the best part is everyone sees the results.

How do you spend your free time?
Quality family time with my husband Brett, daughter Quinn, and our dog Baxter. Our family walks are my favorite!

Who is your role model or mentor?
My role model is Jill Dailey McIntosh, the creator of The Dailey Method.  She has taught me everything that is worth knowing in my business.

What is your indulgence?
Wine.  I love having a glass of wine at dinner with my husband, catching up with girl friends at someone’s house, or for no reason at all.

Join the fun with The Dailey Method on Facebook and Twitter

***The Dailey Method is one of the six classes offered at this month’s Bloom and Tone CRAVEparty!

CRAVE up your St. Patrick’s Day

March 16, 2010 by Jade S. | Comments (0)

St. Patrick’s Day is tomorrow and whether you are of Irish heritage or not, it is a great excuse to dress up in green, drink Guinness and eat corned beef and cabbage. In case the traditional Irish feast isn’t your thing we have come up with a few cool ways that you can celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with your girlfriends. So grab your green, your “Kiss Me I’m Irish” sticker and a few gal pals and celebrate with us! Erin Go Bragh!

Coordinate a cocktail party with you gal pals using this fabulous party guide from Girlfriend Celebrations. Get cocktail creative with green drinks that aren’t beer. Pair these with fabulous green snacks and appetizers. Finish off the Irish ambiance by playing Celtic music in the background. As a fun party activity everyone can plant individual clovers and each guest can take home a pot to remind them of their fabulous friends.

Not into food and games? Coordinate a gift exchange with girlfriends and require that everyone purchase something that is authentically Irish. Set a spending limit so everyone gets something fun.

This year the holiday is celebrated on a Wednesday so if you aren’t in to going out and partying hard consider spending a night in watching movies. Use food coloring to dye your popcorn green and pop in a Irish “chick-flick” like PS I Love You, Tristan and Isolde , or Leap Year. All St. Patrick’s Day rules still apply so make sure your PJ’s are green!

If you want to go all out and spend the night on the town check out this fabulous St. Patrick’s Day event guide and find out what fun St. Patty’s festivities are happening in your area.

We wish you the “luck o’ the Irish” this year as you celebrate with friends. And no matter where or how you celebrate remember the old Irish adage “Before you call for one for the road be sure you know the road.” SlĂ inte

Sip and Savor with the Girls Tonight!

March 12, 2010 by Suzanne N. | Comments (0)

CRAVEing some girl time? You don’t have to wait until the weekend to spend a fun night out on the town! Why not plan an easy, midweek pick me up – drinks with the girls! Enjoy the best of Chicago happy hour: small plates (and prices!), cheap drinks, and your fabulous friends! Here are some of our favorite places:

The Bluebird A cool, laid back atmosphere, The Bluebird is a great place to hang with the girls. From the moment you walk in and see the oak tables, softy candle lit bar and exposed brick walls, you will know you have found a hidden gem! Meet the girls here after work for appetizers and wine – it’s sure to be a great evening! Are you a night owl? The kitchen stays open late so their tasty food and delicious wines are available past midnight!

JBar CRAVEing a trendy lounge atmosphere? JBar is a happening hot spot, whether you looking for a fun place to start your night or end it. Anchoring the south end of Rush Street’s nightlife, JBar offers innovative signature cocktails in an intimate environment. Inviting enclaves and video-as-art installations distinguish the stylishly modern ambiance.

Big Star For a low-key night out after a stressful day of work, Big Star is your destination! With plain décor, a small but delicious menu, and good music is a relaxing destination nestled among long-lined bars. Sunday nights are great here and we recommend the fish tacos, guacamole, and dulce de leche milkshakes, if you are in the mood to indulge!

Celebrating Women’s History Month

March 8, 2010 by Melisa M. | Comments (0)

Did you know that March is Women’s History Month? Women’s History Month can be traced back to 1911 when the first International Women’s Day was celebrated. But it didn’t become a month long celebration until 1987. The popularity of women’s history celebrations continues to spread as more people are becoming aware of the contributions of women and girls. A President’s Commission on the Celebration of Women in History in America recently sponsored hearings in many parts of the country. The Women’s Progress Commission will soon conduct hearings to promote interest in preserving areas that are relevant in American women’s history. Some of the groups promoting this interest are state historical societies, women’s organizations, and groups such as the Girl Scouts of the USA. CRAVE would like to celebrate Women’s History month by selecting five women who have made a positive impact in the last ten years.

Hillary Clinton
During the last decade, she was First Lady, Senator, serious presidential candidate of a major political party, and Secretary of State, First former First Lady to hold major elective office, January 2001 (Senator from New York); first woman candidate for U.S. president to almost win a nomination from a major political party (declared candidacy January 2007, conceded June 2008) and first former First Lady to serve in the cabinet, in her capacity of U.S. Secretary of State, confirmed January 2009. All of this after her presidential husband cheated on her for the whole world to see. Need I say more?

Oprah Winfrey
Oprah was the first black billionaire, as reported by Forbes in April 2004. Although she is not in politics or changing laws, her power and conviction is known the world over. She has used her power again and again to shed light on good causes on everything from women who are sold into slavery to animal cruelty. Her latest endeavor is getting people to stop talking and texting on the phone while driving. She puts massive amounts of money into charitable causes and her show is now approaching an unbelievable 25 year run. In 2009 she announced that the The Oprah Winfrey Show will end in 2011. It’s hard to find a woman who doesn’t know who she is.

Melinda Gates
Melinda Gates is the co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which is the largest transparently operated private foundation in the world. The foundation is “driven by the interests and passions of the Gates family.” The primary aims of the foundation are, globally, to enhance healthcare and reduce extreme poverty, and in America, to expand educational opportunities and access to information technology. The foundation, based in Seattle, Washington, has an endowment of US$35.1 billion as of October 1, 2008. The scale of the foundation and the way it seeks to apply business techniques to giving makes it one of the leaders in the philanthrocapitalism revolution in global philanthropy. In 2007 its founders were ranked as the second most generous philanthropists in America. Bill and Melinda were also named Time magazine’s Persons of the Year in December 2005.

Michelle Obama
Because Michelle is the first African American first lady and the first wife of an African American President, she has an influence and gets attention that prior first ladies may not have received. Michelle represents the loving, working mother who came from difficult circumstances, had the opportunity to attend an Ivy League school, and achieve great things in the causes that she’s taken on as a lawyer, and now, as a first lady. Even her fashion sense is turning heads because she tends to wear little known designers, giving them well-deserved attention, instead of going for the more typical pricier names that everyone would expect. When Michelle decided to grow a vegetable garden outside the White-House, all of a sudden it was all the rage. Right now she is taking on reducing childhood obesity and encouraging children to have a healthy active lifestyle.

Ellen DeGeneres
Though it is easy to argue that Ellen doesn’t have half the achievements under her belt as any of the rest of these women do, her talk show and her name have become so synonymous with positivity and acceptance, it seems that laughter really is the best medicine. Besides being widely adored and accepted as an openly gay woman, Ellen and her talk show have won the daytime Emmy for Best Talk Show and talk show host 4 years in a row and the show averages about 3.0 million viewers per episode, according to daytime television ratings, which makes it one of the highest-viewed daytime shows. The refreshing style of her humor and the unyielding extent of her kindness make her a stand out woman of the last decade.

Information from wikipedia.com.

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