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Winter Tour of Chicago’s Little Italy

March 3, 2015 By Jenna 4 Comments

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Winter in Chicago is brutal. It means downy puffer coats, fleece lined leggings, boots that are ugly but warm, and hats that flatten your hair to an unrecognizable mess. The key, I’ve found, to making it through these bleak winter months, is to live near a fun neighborhood: one filled with sweet cafes, aroma-filled restaurants, and local pubs. Places you can get to without having to trek too far through the snow!

Welcome to Little Italy, one of Chicago least known – but definitely one of its coziest – little corners!

This past week, I invited two friends to come explore with me while I photographed some of my favorite nooks, crannies, and hand-painted signs. Most of Little Italy is located off Taylor Street, between Ashland Avenue and Halstead Street. While the area obviously boasts of many Italian Restaurants, there are also a good number of other ethnic foods available as well: Thai, Chinese, Indian, Sushi, Mexican, and good ol’ fashioned American food can all be found within a span of several blocks. Among other shops, there’s also a tiny Italian bakery, a delicious Italian deli full of imported wines, meats, and pastas, a hair salon, a local hardware store, a wine emporium, a vintage thrift store, and Chicago-renowned gelato shop that’s only open in the warmer months.

Stax Cafe: It was such a cold day that we didn’t get too far before seeking refuge in one of my favorite brunch spots, Stax. This restaurant is ideal spot for breakfasting with friends, as they have big tables, a relaxed atmosphere, and a noise level that – even at its most packed – still allows you to have good conversations without shouting. The menu flaunts endless, delicious choices, as well as a variety of freshly squeezed juices! On weekend mornings the wait can be a little bit long, with a line that starts outside, but I’ve never had to wait longer than a half hour and have always found that to be the perfect excuse to take a short, pre-breakfast walk.

The Italian food options are numerous, but my favorite thus far is definitely Davanti Enoteca, an intimate little wine bar and restaurant found on the corner of Taylor Street and Loomis. While the prices are a bit on the higher side (making it perfect for that special date night!), the food is to die for: the kind that melts on your tongue and leaves you feeling perfectly satisfied. Not stuffed, mind you, like those cheap Italian places that throw endless plates of thick pasta at you – just perfectly, wonderfully content. The waiters recommend sharing food in a tapas fashion. In my opinion, this makes the experience even more fun, since I love being able to taste a little bit of everything. I’ve only been here once, but I’m already craving another go!

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One of the many reasons I love living in the Little Italy area is because of all the green space. I have a special soft spot for Arrigo Park, found just a block north of Taylor Street. While it looks a little desolate with its current coat of snow, this park hums with activity during warmer months: children playing, students throwing around frisbees, dogs lounging with their owners, and me basking in the sun with a well-worn Harry Potter book in hand. The Sear’s Tower can always be seen in the distance and depending on which way the wind is blowing, you can even smell the chocolate factory in the River North District.

A tour wouldn’t be complete without mentioning some of the beautiful Catholic churches in the neighborhood. Much like my experience of Italy itself, this Little Italy neighborhood in Chicago rings with church bells throughout the day.

Our Lady of Pompeii is the original Catholic church in the area and still has a very distinctly Italian congregation. My husband and I attended mass at this church while we were dating and I would laugh about how it had a “Godfather-esque” feel to it – everyone knew each other and seemed to live within walking distance, Mass would occasionally and without notice be in Italian, National Italian holidays held precedence over church feast days, and the few times the priest would mention other nationalities, he’d always give us a shout-out as the “token Lithuanians.”

Within a block of Our Lady of Pompeii is Notre Dame, another beautiful and historical church. Seeing the dome of this church rise above the trees when I’m walking down Loomis Street and hearing its bells toll make me miss my days of studying abroad in Tuscany.

(Just in case you’re wondering why these two photos have beautiful bright blue skies, it’s because I forgot to photograph the churches during our original walk and then – go figure! the weather was gorgeous when I went out to shoot them the next day!)

 

Have you every visited Chicago’s Little Italy? What are your favorite restaurants and shops?

 

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This is a guest post by Giedre of Walking Dot Photography. She is a portrait photographer and blogger based out of Chicago, Illinois. Giedre carries a Canon, shoots obsessively, and always writes about it afterwards!

Filed Under: Uncategorized

7QT: but right now I’m just too ashamed

May 30, 2014 By Jenna 8 Comments

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I’m the honest worst at gardening. Is there a color darker than black that my thumb could be? I’ve killed three cacti. One from over-watering. BUT, earlier this week I decided to woman up and plant some stuff in my yard. I got yellow thingys, pink thingys, purple thingys, and green leafy stuff. I also got basil, strawberries and tomatoes. Oh, and succulents because…succulents.

Here’s the kicker: I enjoyed it. What is happening? Although I am fairly certain that this bug will pass once I have to water them everyday.

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I took wonderful Anne’s advice on wall art. Hanging it up then writing it down because that’s how I do.

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Long story short, we had a baby doll emergency Wednesday morning that involved me running into Target at 9:30am to get a life-sized talking baby. I’ll get into it later, but right now I’m just too ashamed.

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In addition to the baby purchase, I have been bleeding money in useless ways lately. I go through stages where I’m a total Cher Horowitz only to be followed by the urge to purge. I get such a guilty feeling when I spend money in useless ways – as I probably should. I think?

Anyone else have this problem? How do you deal?

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In a total unlike me move, I became a doTERRA rep. I just digging my oils, you know? I don’t really plan to sell them, but I will post some tips here time to time. You cool with that? Good. Because this is happening next week:

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Instalife

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<truestory> The first time Mike and I ever kissed, we were slaving away making cheese quesadillas on this machine. Now every time I see one, I think of that day and smile. Scored one at a garage sale this weekend. Even if I never use it, it was worth it for the memory. This story has layers of cheese. </lamestory>

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Linking with Peppermint Jen

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Ellen Chatter

April 23, 2014 By Jenna 9 Comments

Ellen picking her nose (and eating it!!!) in the backseat:
My mom: Ellen, what are you doing?
Ellen: Mima! A princess needs to eat, you know.

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Yelling to Mike after he gave her a La Croix:
“Hey Mike! Is this a beer?”

Walking quickly through the mall dragging Ellen behind me:
“I can’t live like this!”

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“Oh. Hey, mom. I’m just, you know, reading. About the times. Can you help me up?”

After Ellen’s MRI:
Me: The dr. said you need to lay down for a nap a shut your eyes.
Ellen: The dr. said you need to shut your mouth.

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My Mom: Ellen, why did you throw your toothbrush in the garbage?
Ellen: Mima, it’s not meant for forever.

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“This is my dark face.”

After telling her for the fifth time not to do something, and now needing to yell:
“Jenna Hines! You need to be nice to people!”

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“Mom, I’m as beautiful as a boom box.”

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Filed Under: Ellen Chatter, Uncategorized

Spring Stitch-a-Long Oopdate

April 21, 2014 By Jenna 6 Comments

Did you start yet? What are you doing today? Starting? I was thinking about running the Spring Stitch-a-Long until the end of May, then, if we likey, I’ll throw another one up for Summer. Let me know, dears. Here are some peeps who are lapping you:

Gina from Someday Saints got through the hardest part: transferring and hooping it. The rest is easy street, my friends.

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Dweej from House Unseen went thrifting and got some supplies and sweet kicks. Will she keep it up while she bakes pointy bird?

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Hannah is on top of it. Colors picked, pattern transferred, hooped, and well on her way to beating up all of you with her skills that kills. I love the colors she chose. Beautiful.

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So get off your keister and start it up. #callherhappystitchalong

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Filed Under: Embroidery, Uncategorized

Lenten Embroidery Prayer Craft

March 14, 2014 By Jenna 2 Comments

Lent is supposed to be a time of preparation, contemplative prayer, and sacrifice. But then you throw your family and daily grind into the mix, and Lent is rarely the time of penance and spiritual growth I want it to be.

Or is that just me?

Find out more by checking out my latest at CatholicMom.com: A Hands-On Prayer Craft for Lent. My hope is that the repetitive and flowing lines in this design will be the perfect companion to meditative Lenten prayer.

Also, don’t forget that next week I will be posting about the Call Her Happy Stitch-a-long. And, keep your eyes open for more details on my Etsy shop’s grand opening. Wink.

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Filed Under: Embroidery, Uncategorized

Where I Pretend I’m Friends with Big Bloggers

February 3, 2014 By Jenna 1 Comment

Sarah the Snoring Scholar was so super kind to interview me as part of a CatholicMom.com series about Catholic bloggers. I am Catholic. I blog. Turns out I fit the bill.

Check it out to hear more about my pretend friends, how I know I’m not crazy, and why I love Protestants.

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Filed Under: Uncategorized

test

July 7, 2013 By Jenna Leave a Comment

this is a ^

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Sam Bone

May 20, 2013 By Jenna 8 Comments

Like I said, birth story coming. Indulge in a few more pictures of what we’ve been up to while my brain defogs. “For this child I have prayed and The Lord has granted what I have asked of him.” Samuel 1:27

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Hint: a little preview of an upcoming giveaway…MmmMmm

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Follow me on Instagram (@callherhappy) if you just can’t get enough of me. Mmm Hmm.

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Busy Mom Bodyweight Workout

April 15, 2013 By Jenna 14 Comments

I don’t get a lot of dudes over here at Call Her Happy. So, I was pretty excited when Joe of The Unlimited Project said he would write a post for me outlining a workout for a busy mom. This is numero uno on my list of to-dos after baby boy arrives – you know, after I take the Colace (tmi? but it’s such good advice.) and remind Ellen to be gentle 68 times.

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You are a busy mom. You have kids to take care of, meals to cook, and clothes to wash. You don’t have a lot of free time.

I know how hard it can be. While I’m certainly not a busy mom (being male and without kids probably rules me out), I have seen an example in my mom. For a large part of her life she has worked 40 hour plus weeks while raising 3 kids, cooking meals, doing laundry, and generally keeping the house from utter disaster. I’m sure you are familiar with the feeling. It’s not easy, and I don’t how how she does it. She’s my superhero.

I know you are busy, but you still want to say in shape. The good news is it’s possible! All you need is 45 minutes, 3 times a week. That’s the equivalent of a little more than 2 hours of TV. I know you have 2 hours during your week.

I know your time and money are valuable, so that’s why I designed this workout as a bodyweight workout. That means no fancy equipment, no expensive weights, and no gym required. You can do this workout anytime, anywhere. It can be done in your kitchen, in your living room, in your bedroom, or even at your kid’s soccer game. All you need is an open space to workout and your own body.

Why This Workout Is Awesome

Bodyweight circuits are extremely awesome for several reasons. First, they use your whole body. Almost every muscle in your body will be worked and moved. Second, they are time efficient, which works perfect in your busy life. You are continually moving from exercise to exercise, so you maximize the work done in the minimal amount of time. Third, it gets your heart pumping and burns calories. With the circuit, your body is always working, which keeps your heart rate up and getting a fantastic cardio workout (one that is much better than a 30 minute jog).

The Workout

This is a simple workout using only your body. Our goal is to complete it 3 times. However, many of you reading this are at different levels of fitness. If you get too tired during the workout, take a quick break. It is better to rest than to do an exercise or movement wrong. Doing an exercise wrong is how you pull a muscle or hurt yourself. And no worries! If you can’t make it through 3 times, now you have a goal to work towards!

Before we start, make sure you warm up! There is nothing worse than getting excited to work out, working hard for a few minutes, getting a good sweat going, and then pulling a hamstring or tweaking a muscle (which will set you back a week minimum and make everyday tasks much harder). Take the time (even a few minutes will do) to get your body warm, whether that be running in place, doing jumping jacks, running up and down your stairs, doing pushups, or chasing your kids around the house. The point isn’t to exhaust you completely, but get your body moving and your heart rate up. If you are worried about time, just know that it’s better to cut your workout short than to skip the warm up. Injuries suck.

To complete this workout, do the following:

  • 10 pushups

  • 20 squats

  • 10 pushups

  • 20 lunges (10 each leg)

  • 10 dips (you can use a chair, a couch, or a step for this)

  • 30 jumping jacks

  • 20 second plank/bridge (they are the same thing, people just use different names)

  • 10 burpees

  • 15 crunches

Like I said above, the goal is to complete this circuit 3 times. After you made it through once, feel free to take a minute rest. But don’t take too long and get back after it! Some tips you should keep in mind:

  • Make sure you stretch and warm down after the circuits. This will help your body recover and make you less sore tomorrow.

  • If you have a hard time doing normal pushups, feel free to use your knees. There’s another goal! Work up to 10 normal pushups!

  • For the squats and lunges, make sure your knees aren’t coming over your toes. You want your legs to be at a 90 degree angle. When your knees start to come over your toes, you are placing excess pressure on your knees, which leads to injury.

  • For the squats and lunges, if you are having a hard time doing them properly and balancing, it’s ok to hold onto something for support

Starting out, look to do this circuit 3 times a week, but give yourself a day of rest in between. You also need to make sure you are eating well. This doesn’t mean processed foods full of refined sugar and overloaded with carbs. Look to eat natural whenever possible and focus on lean meats, fruits, nuts, vegetables, and eggs (the Paleo diet).

If this workout was too easy, check this out for a more advanced, killer workout that will definitely give you the body and fitness you want.

Ultimately, I want to help you get fit and live the life you want. It’s not always an easy journey and it doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time and effort, but you can do it.

 

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Joe Marshall is an athlete, businessman, and life enthusiast who’s on a mission to ensure you break out of self and societal imposed limits and live your best life. Check out how he breaks down how to enjoy each day and workout anytime, anywhere.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

5 Favorites…Too Late?

March 21, 2013 By Jenna 1 Comment

I know. Hallie did 5 Favorites yesterday, but I’m doing mine today. Are we over it?

Moving on.

Since we are staying with my rentals until we can move into our house, I’ve had a lot of time to myself – for better or worse. One of the betters is that I have been experimenting with all kinds of beauty, good smelling, girl stuff that I don’t normally have time to use when it’s just me and the gal.

Here are my 5 faves (some that I may have talked about once before, but only because I really do lurve ’em):

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1. Dr. Teal’s Lavender Epsom Salt: Hallie mentioned this a few weeks ago, and I promptly went out and bought it. It smells so good I want to live in it.

2. Burt’s Bees Tinted Lip Balm: I don’t have time for lipstick because lipstick requires accuracy. Lip balm can be applied with one hand while someone else hands you a booger.

3. Sally Hansen’s Cafe Au Lait Nail Polish: Grace turned me on to this. It’s always on my fingers.

4. Suave Dy Shampoo: I know I’ve told you about this before, but if I don’t have time for lipstick, do you really think I have time to wash my hair? It’s worth mentioning twice.

5. Tarte Natural Cheek Stain: This might be a tad pricey, but I love how it goes on, how it looks (dewy), and how it smells. Triple threat.

And, while we are on the subject of pretties, take a look at this video. Ever thought about getting bangs, but you weren’t sure how you would look? Watch how to create bangs without cutting. I love me some less commitment.

Now that you’ve watched, want to win $100? Check here for deets:
Sweepstakes rules:

http://www.blogher.com/hair-sweepstakes-offical-rules-week-1

Prizes & Promotions page on Blogher.com:

https://www.blogher.com/blogher-tv-weekly-hair-style-sweepstakes

*Yes, I was paid to show you this video. But, I assure you: I cannot live without the above listed products. I cannot.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

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