Using Vimbly to make your plans

One of my favorite things about Chicago is that there are endless possibilities of things to do on any given day. The problem is always, how to choose though. That is where Vimbly comes into play. It's a new way to  book thousands of activities, classes & date ideas. These include dance, cooking, glassblowing, pizza making, wine tasting, learning to DJ, improvisation, scotch pairing, samurai sword fighting, persuasion class, and more. 

Vimbly gave me an opportunity to try out one of the activities for free to test out the ease of their site. My friend Sharrell and I chose the KOVAL Distillery tour as our first activity to try out through Vimbly. We had a blast. Easy to sign in at the event. I'll definitely continue to use Vimbly when choosing what do to in the city!

Another great thing is their customer service is exceptional. The confirmation email for the event that we attended did not make it into my inbox and my event when the event was coming up I sent a quick email over at 8pm on a Saturday night. Almost immediately, I got a response and my confirmation email forwarded to me. It's definitely worth a try! 

Don't forget to check out Vimbly here: http://www.vimbly.com/chicago

I Lolla'd and I liked it.

This is slightly past due in posting. By slightly, I mean over a week!

I have to say that I had the best weekend ever during Lollapalooza. I spent time with my two closest friends celebrating my best friends birthday. I feel so appreciative to be lucky enough to have great friends that I can have a blast with. Heard some great music and drank lots of beer. Also, got my exercise for the week in walking all over the place.

Things like Lollapalooza remind me why Chicago is such an amazing city to live. Events like this cause massive traffic and hassle but when you get to actually attend them, traffic hassle seems to disappear.

30 continues to be my favorite year of all time. Mainly, because I've been lucky enough to keep getting better as a person and spend it with people I love.

Blogger Lounge Famous

Look I'm famous! @MsNycole & The Savvy Brunette

I have to say, I have not had so much fun at an event in awhile. The event offered up food, music, art and so much more! I met new friends, saw old friends and saw lots of handsome fellas. Also, fell in love with this adorable little dog that I wanted to kidnap. 

The Street Food Artistry staff did a wonderful job putting everything together. There was so much to do, see and experience. Weather was nice and warm almost the entire time. The sky opened up the last hour. I had been there all day so I took off at that point. 

I got to try a lot of new things at the fest. One of my favorite new things was Jerk Chicken from the Jerk food truck. For $7 you got some chicken and a piece of bread. The chicken was spicy, but I was actually able to manage my way through it. I am normally horrible with anything and everything spicy but I did it like a champ. If you'd like to give them a try you can follow them on Twitter to find out where they're parked by going here.

Friends always make everything that much more fun!

My next favorite discovery was a tie between the mustache cookies from Getta Polpetta you see to the right and a Courvoisier Gold drink. I recommend giving it a try. Very tasty. Sweet but not too sweet. They describe it as:

A first of its kind, Courvoisier Gold is a light and exquisite cognac experience that is crafted with a delicate blend of Moscato wine from the South of France and Courvoisier’s signature cognac. 

Food truck heaven.

I wish I wasn't counting calories so closely because there were so many food trucks and stands at the event and I could have gone crazy!

Here is a list so you can follow them on Twitter and try them if you can find them:

- Curried

- Jerk

- Dia Delos Tamales

- Herby Pop (Had a sample...AMAZING)

- Gelato D'Oro

- Baby Cakes

- The Fat Shallot

- Pork Chop

- Cheesies Chicago

- Getta Polpetta (mustache cookies!)

- Puffs of Doom

What is an event without a selfie? 

My true highlight of the evening was arriving at the Bloggers Lounge and seeing the signage which you see in a photo above. My name is on there. Yep, project make myself a brand is working. I met a lot of great bloggers and even met some Twitter pals in real life. That was a great time.

Before I go...I have to give a quick shout out to a new pal I made, George. I bombarded him with questions because I saw his fraternity letters on a hat and found out he went to Toledo which is right by BGSU and went to the same HS as my mom back in Ohio. Small world. Anyhow he is a Style Consultant for J.Hilburn this really nice custom made shirt place! I totally want to have one made. Here is his website if you're looking for some really sharp dress shirts.

#SFA2013 you rocked... #SFA2014 bring it ;) Can't wait. 

Food + Art + Music = Must Attend Event

Foodies, art + cultural enthusiasts...this event is for you!

StreetFood Artistry

Sunday, August 11th 

1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. 

Zhou B. Art Center 

1029 W. 35th, Chicago  

Bridgeport’s premier Art District

http://streetfoodartistrychicago.com

BUY TICKETS HERE

I am looking forward to being a part of the Blogger Lounge at this years StreetFood Artistry. There will be great food, lots of art, music and more. Hopefully cute boys too ;) We all know that is one of my priorities so don't act shocked! Anyhow, I just looked at their first press release and there are some great food vendors already signed up and I hear there will be more! So far they've got Curried, Jerk 312 (sounds like the guys I date), The Getta Polpetta, Baby Cakes, Puffs of Doom, Herby Pop, Gigi's Bake Shop, and more!

Check out the video to see just how awesome this event looks. 

New Favorite Treat - Red Mango Super Biotic Smoothies

The Fourth of July holiday weekend was quite warm and toasty here in Chicago. Perfect weather to get me out and about with friends during my four day stay-cation. By the time Sunday rolled around, I had had enough fun for an entire army and it was time to run errands and roll up my sleeves to get some work done. With the sun shining in my window Sunday afternoon I couldn't help but crave a quick break outside in the warm weather. Trying the new Super Biotic Smoothies at Red Mango turned out to be the perfect excuse to get me out of the house.

As soon as I walked into Red Mango West Loop, I was greeted by the owner, Irfan Moten. This was my first Red Mango experience, so it was nice to be greeted and brought up to speed with the process. I let Irfan know I there to try their new super biotic smoothies. Quite frankly everything on the menu looked awesome, so I was stumped! No worries. Right away, Irfan started asking me what types of flavors I liked to help me make the difficult decision. After getting a run down of my favorite flavors he recommended the Pomegranate Protector. The name alone sold me but then I looked at the ingredients and I was pumped. The Pomegranate Protector is made with yogurt, pomegranate, acai, blueberry, banana, and green tea extract. 

My first taste of the Pomegranate Protector was heaven. You could just tell how fresh the ingredients were. I also loved the punch of green tea taste that you get in every sip. I sat down to enjoy my smoothie and continued to talk to the Irfan about his new Red Mango location. This is only his second month being opened in the West Loop. He and his father opened the shop together, which is amazing! Nothing better than working with family. As we spoke, I asked about some of the other smoothie and their flavors. Little did he know I was already planning my second and third trips so that I could try more smoothies. Irfan was awesome and gave me a taste of the Just Kidd'n Lil' PB Cup! The Just Kidd'n menu is has kid specific smoothies with no boosts. It was extremely good and very light for kids. I love that Red Mango has a kids menu, so that parents don't have to guess what is and isn't ok for their kids to have. I was pretty pumped to hear that the Red Mango West Loop location is going to be adding things like kale and spinach in the future as well. Red Mango really is entering the smoothie world with a bang! Their smoothies are superior to that of Jamba Juice, which I have always found to taste very sugary.

While enjoying my smoothie, I took an opportunity to look around the shop and read all of their signage. The reoccurring theme that I saw everywhere was Super Biotics, which also so happens to be in the name of the new smoothies. My curiosity led me to Google, where I found a simple explanation by Red Mango founder, Dan Kim. 

"At Red Mango, we fortify all of our frozen yogurt and yogurt-based smoothies with a special type of probiotics called Super Biotics," said Dan Kim, founder and chief concept officer of Red Mango. "They're super because unlike the extremely fragile probiotics in most ordinary yogurt, Super Biotics have been clinically proven to survive the strong acids in our stomachs so that they can actually do their job keeping our digestive and immune systems healthy when we eat right and exercise too." 

Before I got to Red Mango I did a bit of investigation online via social media. As a Social Media Strategist I always spend some time checking out a company's social media presence and strategy to see if they are rocking the social space. Red Mango does a great job keeping their fans engaged and sharing lots of tasty looking photos! I suggest checking them out on Facebook and on Twitter. 

Is your mouth watering yet? If so, you're in luck. This week Red Mango is having a BOGO special! July 8-12, 2013: BOGO (Buy One Get One) Super Biotic Smoothies! Buy a Super Biotic smoothie of any size and get another Super Biotic smoothie of equal or lesser value FREE. ONLY Poppin’ Boba smoothies are eligible for this offer. No coupon necessary to redeem.

Red Mango is not only delicious but as I mentioned it has many health benefits. This brand new line of smoothie have been formulated to meet the nutritional and dietary needs of today’s health-conscious consumers who find it increasingly important to embrace a wholesome, well-balanced diet.  In addition to the protein, energy, immunity and multivitamin boosts currently available, Red Mango has added four new boosts which have been formulated with natural, wholesome and innovative ingredients: 

• Metabolic Fit 360™: A proprietary blend of protein, calcium and African Mango which supports metabolic balance and promotes healthy weight management.

• Dark Chocolate Mate: Finely ground, Brazilian roasted maté and dark chocolate; a delicious, rich, low-calorie flavor which also supplies a nice dose of antioxidants.

• Tropical Hibiscus: Finely ground, premium Nigerian hibiscus blossoms infused with natural pineapple and lychee; a bright and tropical low-calorie flavor and antioxidant boost.

• Green Tea Acai: Finely ground, premium green tea with açai berries, the Amazonian superfruit; a low-calorie antioxidant boost made with the best ingredients.

Did you know Red Mango is one of the fastest-growing retailers of all-natural frozen yogurt and fresh fruit smoothies? They just launched 22 brand new super biotic summer smoothies in four lifestyle-centered categories: 

•  Body Balance: Flavorful and functional yogurt smoothies formulated with beneficial boosts  
• All Fruit Harmony: Refreshing dairy-free and soy-free smoothies made only with fruit, juice and ice.   
• Twisted Fruits: Smooth and creamy signature yogurt smoothies offered in new and innovative fruit-forward flavors.  
• Just Kidd'n: Naturally delicious, snack-sized fruit and yogurt smoothies, blended just for kids.  

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own and I am officially a fan!

Excitement for the holiday!

A four day "vacation" is almost here. Pure excitement is running through my brain. I love to decompress and just take time off to spend it with friends. One more day of work this week and then I am off till next Monday.

I am most looking forward to spending July 4th with a lot of friends at Arlington Park. I do not know what it is about horse racing but it is so fun to watch. Bet a few dollars here or there. Believe me, a few dollars is all this little lady has right now. Have drinks and just enjoy the holidays with friends.

Saturday hanging out with more friends at a House Music Festival on the south side of Chicago. Should be a fun time. It's outdoors near the lake. Which reminds me, I need to get some suntan lotion! My pale skin does not need to burn.

What are you doing for July Fourth? Have a safe and happy holiday!

Life in prison for murderer of Gayle's girlfriend

Not too long ago I watched the 20/20 episode with Shaun Gayle (Former Chicago Bears player); the Rhoni Rueter story. This was a really sad story because not only was a woman gunned down by her boyfriends crazy lover; but she was pregnant and the baby died as well. Just this week they sentenced the murderer; Marni Yang to two life sentences back to back with no chance of parole. When someone commits such a calculated heinous crime it's almost relieving to hear that justice took such a major stance and really did away with such a horrible human being. 

Chicago Breaking News: Life in prison for murder of Gayle's girlfriend

Marni Yang was sentenced to life in prison this morning for gunning down the pregnant girlfriend of former Chicago Bear Shaun Gayle, with the judge citing the “methodical, meticulous and maniacal manner in which you committed this crime.”

Judge Christopher Stride handed down two life sentences with no parole, to run concurrently, for the death of Rhoni Reuter and her unborn child in Reuter’s Deerfield condominium on Oct. 4, 2007.

Yang showed no reaction, sitting almost motionless.

I remember when I was watching this story on 20/20 I couldn't help but think how crazy the entire situation was. Shaun Gayle and Rhoni were together for 18 years and they never married. In those 18 years her family said they only met him four times, which just shows how much of a real couple they were. Shaun says the couple had an understanding that they were in an open relationship. I immediately felt sad and confused, wondering how a woman could be in a noncommittal relationship with a man for 18 years and then want to carry his child in her 40s. I felt sorry for her, because Gayle seemed like a total womanizer but on the flip side she let him be. 

When it first happened, Gayle was a suspect in this case not just to the police but to the Reuter family. Gayle immediately offered up several of his ex girlfriends names who hadn't taken it well over the years when he'd broken it off. Throughout his entire thought process not once did he think to mention Marni Yang, the crazy woman behind the plotted murders. When watching the show I couldn't tell if Gayle just like crazy women or if he was really screwing with women's heads to make them fall off the deep end. I think he was a total womanizer. I'm pretty disgusted at Shaun Gayle for sleeping with so many women and equally disgusted at the women for being ok with it. It seems like most of them knew.

Three weeks after the murder the searched Gayle's house and found that Marni Yang had been stalking Shaun's computer for 3 years by recording everything he did on the computer. The tool she used is often used by parents who want to keep track of what their children are doing. I've often wondered if I'd ever do this to a spouse just to see what type of person they were, or even better before they were a spouse. Yang saw every single email and everything Gayle did online. Not just that but Yang would get Gayle's phone bills and call all of the numbers on there. If that sounds crazy, that is only the tip of the iceberg; Yang would cancel flight and hotel reservations so he couldn't go visit other women.

Marni was telling all of her friends that her and Shaun were together in a relationship, which was not true considering he clearly didn't know what a relationship was. He did admit that they had slept together on several occasions. Once I heard this I was convinced that was leading all of these women on to think there was or could be more. Gayle seems like the scum of the earth, time to hang up your player towel....you're almost 50 years old. Eventually it came out that not only did Gayle sleep with Yang but he slept with her the NIGHT before the murder. Disgusting.

Yang was beyond crazy; she planned the murder and sat waiting on Rueter to leave for work. They say that Yang started to plan the murder the moment that she found out the Rueter was pregnant. There was nothing spur of the moment about this. Yang had all the tools she had purchased at a Home Depot and a disguise she had purchased at a local store. Originally some neighbors reported seeing a young black male fleeing the scene, when in actuality it was Yang in dark face paint and a disguise. Without the help of Yang's friend, I don't know if she would have ever been caught because she had it so planned out. The police had Yang's friend go to a meeting wired and Yang spilled all the details. So here is one of my problems; her friend knew Yang was planning this before it happened yet she's not in trouble. Whether or not she thought her friend was just talking out of anger she should have turned her in. This whole story was one of those twisted disgusting stories you hear that just doesn't sound real. From Gayle being a ladies man and sleeping with god knows how many women and then putting his child in danger, to the psycho woman who thought she was in a relationship and planned the murder of a woman and her unborn child.

Unemployment is no joke

Wow so it has been FIVE months since I have had a job. I am not gonna lie this is the hardest time in my life. I have been unemployed before but this is huge because my loans have to be paid. No deferment or forbearance left to use. I have bills and expenses that do not understand or take a break for my unemployment.

I have said this before, my job being eliminated from the school was a good thing. Sounds weird, but it really was. I was miserable under the new management, because they were purposely trying to drive people out. Constant 8-5 negativity believe it or not is still worse than unemployment. It also gave me the push I need to figure out what I really want to do professionally and take the huge leap. Problem is that that leap is not easy nor is it definite. I cannot just jump into this new industry and say hire me. Believe me, I have been trying for the past several months. I have given it the most effort the past two to three months but still that is way too long to not be getting positive results. I have had a few interviews. Some of which just were not right for me or not enough money.

I am dying to break into the digital technology and media industry but it is so damn hard. I do not know how to kick a door open and get my foot into the right place. I am putting my resume out everywhere and I mean EVERYWHERE. I found a few new sites to job hunt on this week and thats helping some. I need an ego boost because this really is giving me a pretty severe shot to the ego. Its hard to have had so much success professionally and than just fall off the map completely. From Vice President to unemployed is not the direction I have been killing myself for the past six years to take. I'm ready for positivity in my life and a great 2011. I sure hope its on its way very soon!! 

Dear Chicago

Dear Chicago,

Why is nothing 24 hours? You're so boring sometimes! There are very few restaurants, like no stores, some gyms and that is about it. I also feel like bars should be open later. Ohhhh...and my biggest gripe sidewalk seating at bars should be open past like 10:30pm. What a buzz kill when you have to go inside.

Chicago, I <3 but="" it="" lets="" p="" step="" up="" you="">
xoxo

Nycole                                                                            

Taste of Chicago is a crazy time

On the way to the Taste Wednesday we passed the giant eyeball being worked on. This thing is pretty insane but really pretty cool!! I <3 Chicago weirdness!

Then the next bit of randomness was this. Honestly the Taste of Chicago is pretty cool, mainly because I love people watching. Wednesday was fun. Hairbangers Ball was not as good as they were at our schools fundraiser.

Saw this license plate on the way to the taste. I like! I also super like the car lol!!

First day I went to the Taste the crowd was not bad at all. Second day it was horrible. I went to get a funnel cake, because the Taste is not a complete experience without one and there were about 100 people in line!! One crazy chic who started bitching at my friend because he slightly bumped her. People like that are the reason why people are getting killed everyday in this city. People who got something to prove, like they are the toughest thing around!

Not only are some of the people just rude for no reason, but a god 1/2 of them are totally random as hell! I was sitting there enjoying my funnel cake with my friend and I see a teenager sitting her weird self in a baby stroller. I doubt highly that any baby appreciates your funky butt in their chair. Then there is this girl who is wearing a micro mini walking into the Taste. I saw so many poorly fitting clothes in just two days then I have seen maybe ever. I am inspired to do a Fashion Hell Nos blog. I wish parents would start to look at what their kids wore when they left the house, or not let them buy poorly fitting clothes in the first place.

Great reads....

My Bloody Life: The Making of a Latin King 

by Reymundo Sanchez

Once a King Always a King: The Unmaking of a Latin King 

by Reymundo Sanchez

I haven't been a big reader for the longest time but a good friend of mine is lent me the first book and I was hooked. Oddly enough gang life has always interested me because I just don't understand how so many people can just be so void of emotions and just not care about life and be so prepared for death. Anyhow this is a true story of a man who was a Latin King here in Chicago. It's very details and really makes you see what some of these people have been through. I honestly would recommend these books, it'll make you look at things a little more seriously when in bad neighborhoods I think.