Girl Meets Computer

I love my Mac.  I love my Mac.  I don't truly know how I would survive without it.  It's wonderful.  However, it also recently started running more slowly.  That is not cool.  I freaked out a little because I couldn't get it back to it's original pace.  I tried putting things on an external hard drive hoping that if I opened up some space on my actual hard drive it would speed up.  


It didn't.


Then I turned to my boyfriend.  Some girls are tech-y.  I am admittedly not.  I actually freak out when boxes and warnings show up on my screen, even if they're nothing.  I also freak out if I get taken to a new screen I've never been to before or didn't expect to be taken to, so the idea of trying to fix the problem on my own was completely out of the question.  Hence, I leaned on someone more knowledgeable.  


He asked questions about when I had last updated and when we determined I still had an older operating system, he suggested updating the operating system.  Do you know what that is?  I did not.  That was the wrong answer.  Because he rolled his eyes at my answer, we had to go into "computer class" and he sat me down to learn about computers and systems and everything.  I learned about Hertz and Gigahertz, memory and RAM, screen size and flash memory versus a dual core.  It was crazy and overwhelming.  Some people's minds just don't work that way, and although we already had a class to introduce me to computers, I'm certain there will be many more to come in the future.


And, as an aside....dear Steve Jobs...please don't be gone long!

A Taco Affair

I'm really not one for tacos.  Actually, and more honestly, I'm really never one for Mexican food.  Or Chinese food, for that matter.  They don't sit with me well.  However, last night, apparently I really wanted some tacos.  It came out of nowhere, but the taco craving was there.


Luckily, Chicago has some amazing and quaint mexican restaurants.  We headed over to a restaurant called Big Star, on Damen Ave.  It has a great outdoor seating area, both for "dine in" and "take out".  Be weary, thought, like many place in the city, the take out is Cash Only!  The food, however, amazing!  Even the chips and guac are killer...also killer for your wallet, running $8, but the tacos average $3 for one.  Note:  they are small, so you'll probably need at least 2.  


We ordered Pescado and Panza tacos:  battered tilapia and pork belly.  WOW.  Plus they gave you lime for the fish and green and red chili'd salsa.  And yes, the green chili salsa is spicy, and the pork belly taco is messy!  Worth it???  ABSOLUTELY!!!


So next time you want tacos, make your way over to Big Star.  Grab a margarita or a beer and sit outside if you can, otherwise make sure you have some green and grab some take-out.  You won't be disappointed.

New Hair Stylist shows Feather

Hair Fads are changing, but then again, when aren't they!  The new thing? Feathers.

And the fun thing is you can straighten them, curl them, wash them, blow dry them, and even take them out and reuse them later!  They're made from rooster feathers and a dyed and colored to offer a variety of styles.  Loving them!  And they can be stripped or solid colored.

There's a salon in Westmont, IL offering them right now.  The salon is Marco Tanbour Salon @ 218 N Cass ave.  Carla, the stylist, is doing wonderful things with them!  

Also, as an aside, she's also offering $20 blowdry/style specials and $30 mani/pedi specials.  What an amazing time to treat yourself to a pamper pack!

** A thanks to hairgallery4u.com and featherhairextensionsinfo.com for the photos

Go Greek

Sorting through my boyfriend's mail the other day while he fixed a few things around the apartment, I found the July issue of GQ magazine.  Now, I like myself a good magazine every now and again, and it looked pleasing and and interesting insight into the life of men's mags, so I found myself a comfy place on the couch and started reading.


Okay, truth be told, I didn't read.  I looked.  I tried to get my boyfriend to take the one quiz in the entire magazine (a serious cut from the number of magazines in women's magazines) and he thought I was ridiculous.  So, succumbing to my new fate of not being the quiz giver, I continued to flip through pages.  


At the end of the magazine were photos, the new fashion pages that are found in every good magazine.  I started looking through them and by page three I stopped and noticed the white houses.  I thought, "I know those!! I was just there!"  And surely, when I hurried back to the intro spread it noted that all the photos were taken in Santorini, a famous island in Greece.  AWESOME!  I suddenly felt very worldly and that made me giddy, which made my boyfriend roll his eyes when I pointed happily to the magazine photo and said "Hey!  I was there! Look!"  


Still, if you've been to Greece, you'd appreciate it.  Suddenly Greece is just popping up everywhere!  It's kind of like when you really want a Louis Vuitton purse and you suddenly start seeing them everywhere you look.  It's like that, but slightly more worldly.

Lolla Wows Chicago

This past weekend, crazed fans and newbies alike ventured over to one of the best and most renowned music festival to grace Chicago:  Lollapalooza.

Started twenty years ago by Perry Farrell in 1981, both world headliners and upcoming bands have honored its stages.  This year, some of those big-names included Eminem, Foo Fighters, Deadmau5, Muse, Coldplay, and My Morning Jacket.  Other, smaller, and more local bands also had a chance to play with the greats on the 8 stages that spanned the grounds.


And, for those of you like me who could not make the show or afford or just, in general, buy tickets for the days you wanted, you could always watch it on their very own YouTube channel.  We might not have had that same, energized, wow'd crowd because you're live experience, but we did have some of the best seats in the house.  Kudos to YouTube videographers, you did a phenomenal job.  The best?  Foo Fighters.  


Now, granted, agree or disagree, you have to remember I was not there and only able to watch one of 2 stations broadcast by YouTube.  I had also wanted to see Deadmau5, but I'm absolutely okay with having seen Foo Fighters.  


The other and even better part?  I did not get soaking wet!  It poured through their entire performance.  However, and huge props to the band, they were not only amazing but utterly professional and truly put on a show for their fans.  The lead singer was amazing and I was entertained for the entire 2 hours.  He also jabbed at Deadmau5, not sure if anyone else caught the innuendo, but I found it amusing.  Still, what a show.  If you have not seen them live, I would absolutely recommend it.  They've been around for 16 years; clearly, they know how to please a crowd.


Overall, happy 20th anniversary Lolla!  Maybe some day I'll make it to a live performance...or at least a nearby balcony.  

Five Guys, Five Amazing Reasons to Love Burgers

It's official.  I've lost my "Five Guys Burgers" V-Card.  Although long past overdue, I finally made my way to Naperville, IL, home of one of the most notorious burger joints in the Chicagoland area.  Up until now, I did not know why.


Now, I do.  Woah.  This place is amazing and immensely business savvy too.  For those of you who have not had the pleasure of going, do not expect bells and whistles.  It is simple, 50s-style in-and-out diner cafe food and feel.  Basically, it capitalized on McDonalds.  It has almost everything but the yellow coloring.  It's Red & White, empty plain tables, burger, dogs, and fries.  That's it.  


However, unlike it's competitors, it boasts a pretty amazing deal.  First of all, no preservatives or antibiotics are used in their meat. It's sad that we've come to a point in society where that has to be mentioned, but they're the "healthy" fast food burger, if you can say that.  


Then, the fries are in 100% peanut oil, so no trans fat here!  Also, they give you access to as many free peanuts as you want while you wait.  Applause, applause.  Not only is that simple, easy, fill-up fast food, but they've basically put a "Know Yourself" atmosphere front and center.  Allergic to peanuts, Don't Go There.  Duh!  That does not mean other people shouldn't enjoy such simple gestures, so know yourself and stay away if you know that's not a place for you to be.


Otherwise, there's no storage.  All the fries & oil is sitting around you, table side.  Awesome.  No storage so less overhead cost.  Brilliant business financial planning.  


THEN, you have to actually eat your way through your fries to get to your burger.  Genius!  They overload you with so many fries that you can't be anything but happy and no longer starving by the time you get to the main course, and the main courses are not gargantuan sized either.  They're normal people sized, so you're not eating your face's weight in meat.  Thank you, Five Guys!


Overall, if you haven't been there, you should go.  I'm not a fast-food person, and it was a heavy weight in my stomach afterwards because I'm just not used to that food, but it was a wonderful experience and I loved every single minute. Now, I just need more of those fries.....