chicago is certainly a fabulous town, and who knew so much fashion happening? flew in tuesday and was immediately whisked to bliss in the W where janiese gave me a sumptuous almond-milk mani/pedi and painted my toenails a delicious magenta. bliss chicago has a gorgeous view of the lake through cutout windows and the whole team was very sweet, giving us brownies and lemonade and all sorts of good things. then we ran back to annemarie's apt where we did a quick change. i slipped into my hot pink marni dress and courtney crawford black cutout 4-inch stilettos, and annemaire in her tsmori chisato. then back to bliss for stiletto strategies with miss meg. we had a fantasic crowd, jodi cohen the amazing reporter who broke the flip-flop flap story last summer from the chicago tribune stopped by as did melissa maynard from runwaytoretail and factio magazine, with her fab writers. then it was off to japonai, chicago's answer to nobu, where the drinks were fizzy and the sushi was fantastic.
wednesday i hit josephine, a must-visit store for all shoe whores. i was gasping. diana broussard, alexandra neel, jil sander, brian atwood (see black pumps above) and emma hope just to name a few, all displayed in a real jewelbox of a store, elegant mirrored vanities, superb lighting and a well-edited collection that made me think i was in my own closet! then i hit active endeavors, the shopbop of chicago, where daryly k sits next to cynthia vincent and paige denim, and c. ronson sandals (see metallic sandals above) play with tara subkoff wedges. kelly o'brien stopped by, a fellow michigander and head of genart chicago for an outfit for her Q event that evening. we chatted about all things nyc and michigan and whether the empire waist looked better belted or pregnant (unbelted). decided on pregnant. then i headed to argo and sipped a quick iced decaf with soy, the most relaxing coffeshop ever.
next it was off to pilsen, where i was wined and dined in style at the 5,000 square foot 1850's brick three story townhouse that sandi and eric saved from being torn down and have renovated into their fabulous living space as well as a place for artists, musicians and DJ's to hang. spongebob on the huge theater was quite a treat with 4-year old june who cracked me up constantly.
zooming back to nyc on thursday, i got to read shari goldhagen's fabulous and beautiful new book, family and other accidents, . then hit westville where i sat next to michael kors and we sang along to patsy cline, him in key, me off key. aah. i loved chicago but i do love being back in my west village abode.
