I escaped Chicago and came to my hometown Kennebunk, Maine for the Kennebunkport Festival this week. It's a nice change of pace. Even if part of that nice change of pace involves helping your father search the house for 10 minutes looking a piece of paper containing the WiFi password (love you Dad).
I am starting this post with a photo from last night's Spirit of Maine party. My fashion blogging friends keep telling me to share photo of my outfits, which doesn't really make sense for a food blogger, but I loved the maxi skirt I wore to last night's party, so here is an outfit photo, taken by my father. The skirt and shirt are from Akira at Block 37.
The party itself was a blast. There was just so much food. There were little cones filled with french fries, a row boat filled with oysters and shrimp, and handmade canoes filled with beer. It was a celebration of all things Maine, and I will share more photos in another post soon.
Last night's party was just one of many events that I have attend recently. Here is a look back at what I have been up to:
I attended the launch party for Chicago Elite, a new yacht that is docked off of Navy Pier that can be rented out for events.
I made a point to wear a nautically themed outfit, complete with an anchor shirt. I felt a little underdressed when I saw all my fashion blogger friends in their pretty dresses - but it's hard to bike to work in a dress. photos by Hallie Duesenberg Photography
Charles and I celebrated the first warm Friday night of the season with a late dinner at Big Star. I ordered the walking taco, my personal favorite.
I checked out the patio at NoMI at the Park Hyatt, which is one of the most elegant roof decks in the city. It is just off of Michigan Avenue and Chicago, and the cocktails are equally beautiful and delicious.
A couple of weeks later I joined Erin for lunch at NoMI, where I ordered the most massive Turkey BLT known to man, and didn't come close to finishing it even though it was superb. The blue cheese really took this sandwich to the next level - and it is an easy addition to a BLT that you can try at home!
The Windy City Blogger Collective hosted an instagram workshop with Debi Lilly, who owns DL Loft, one of the most gorgeous event spaces in the city.
We spent the evening styling photos featuring some of our favorite local brands, including Owen + Alchemy, MiniBar Delivery, iCoffee, Summer House Santa Monica, Vo Jewelry, Blitsy, and The Trendy Sparrow. You can see me in action in the photo above.
And our friends at Burrito Beach provided dinner. I couldn't get enough of the guacamole and tacos - two of my favorite food groups!
Charles and I doubled dated with my blogwife Erin and her husband Danny at County BBQ, a new BBQ place in Little Italy. We especially liked the corn pudding, the brisket, the mac and cheese, and the sweet potato fries. (blogwife definition: a close friend who is also a blogger who often helps and collaborates with you. My friends Jess and Kelly invented the term.)
I joined some blogging friends for an Influencer Brunch at RM Champagne. The Lobster Hash with crispy potatoes, chunks of lobster, poached eggs, and hollandaise was out of this world.
I was a guest on Chicagonistas Live, a Chicago based web show. You can watch my interview here, we talk about the Windy City Blogger Collective and the James Beard Awards.
My friends Danielle and Alaina from The Everygirl hosted a dinner party with Kendall Jackson on the roof of the Public Hotel, and it was beyond gorgeous.
The folks at Kendall Jackson must know how to read minds, since this dinner combined several of my favorite things: the stunning Ava Suite at the Public Hotel, wine, doughnuts, and some of the loveliest bloggers in Chicago. Throughout the dinner we got to taste Kendall Jackson wines, including the Pinot Gris, and several wines from the new KJ Avant collection. I especially liked the Avant Red Blend, it was smooth but rich and it paired really well with food.
I hosted Petunia Palooza with Wave Petunias. The cool thing about Wave Petunias is that they spread out over time and more and more petunias grow. (Oh and in case you are curious, I am wearing a dress from Anthropologie).
After the event, I took all my newfound gardening knowledge to work and I planted flower boxes on our roof. We learned to start by picking a pot with a hole in the bottom so that the plants do not get water logged. Then add potting soil up to 1 inch from the top of the pot. Then add flowers. We used a combination of petunias, a taller plant to add some height, and some ivy to spill over the sides of the planter. You don't need to break up the roots, just dig a hole for the flowers and add them to the pot. Once you are done, water the plants regularly, you want the soil to be moist. Test this by sticking a finger 2 inches into the soil.
Charles and I joined friends for cocktails at Three Dots and a Dash... and I might not have made it to the gym the next morning.... This bar is one of the coolest in the city. If you didn't know that the entrance is hidden away in an alley behind Bub City, you might not be able to find it!
Plus Erin and I did a MeetAdvisors interview for their Next Game Changer series. We talk all about blogging and the Windy City Blogger Collective. You can watch it here.
Want to see what I am up to Maine this weekend? Follow me on Instagram to take a virtual trip to Maine!
