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Italian Bellinis and French Macarons: Sampling “The World” in Chicago

April 22, 2013 by

Bellini

(photo source)

Happy Birthday to me! And how did this Bistro Chic celebrate her extra special day? Not only was I spending two luxurious days in an awesome Millennium Park hotel, but I was also off sampling the world in downtown Chicago.

Take a peek at my itinerary:

  1. Spain – Strolled among Picasso’s (Monet’s, Dali’s!) at the Art Institute
  2. Italy – Dined on small plates at Quartino’s Italian restaurant
  3. Italy – Enjoyed fancy drinks, including Bellini’s, at a swanky Chicago bar
  4. Hawaii – Shopped for Maui Jim sunglasses – check out my new shades!
  5. France - Topped off my post-birthday morning with a few French pastries, like these lovely macarons and madelines, oui oui!

Macarons from raddisson blu hotel

French Madelines 

And the best part of all? I get to do it all again next year!

Ciao!

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Black-Tie Optional

June 7, 2012 by

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Bonjour Everyone!

I am headed to beautiful Baltimore in just a few days where I will be attending a black-tie optional Gala (ooh la la!). I would love to report that the Gala event is in celebration of Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee, but alas, it is not. Nonetheless, it is a fancy fundraising affair, and you know what that means? Dress shopping! I honestly have not been shopping for formal attire in over a decade (think sorority formals followed by weddings). Because of this, everything I have in my closet that could be considered formal is either a) meant for a bridesmaid, or b) looks like it’s 10 years old!

Ironically, in doing some research for formal dresses, I came across a story about the Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee and how the Victoria and Albert Museum is featuring an exhibit dedicated to ballgowns from 1950 to today. What I wouldn’t give to see that exhibit! This is actually very similar to a V&A exhibit I saw years ago on British fashion through the ages – what a fantastic exhibit that I was very fortunate to see during one of its very last weeks on display.

Despite my pure excitement over the new exhibit, I became acutely aware that I….

  1. Would never be able to afford anything remotely as glamorous as the dresses they showed;
  2. Only had 4 shopping days to find my own fancy, schmancy ballgown; and
  3. Spend waaay too much time dreaming about life in other countries and not enough time visiting them.

Well, regarding point #3, stayed tuned – this Bistro Chic girl is headed out the country very soon!

Back to dress shopping.

Ciao!

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Decorating with French Toile

May 10, 2012 by

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I’ve written about French decorating and French country style in the past. However, one element I’ve neglected to mention was how much I adore toile – a trés classic French country design.

About French Toile

Most often scene on cloth or fabric, toile actually means cloth in French. Toile is short for Toile de Jouy, which comes from Jouy-en-Josas, the location in north central France where the toile pattern was first made in the 18th and 19th centuries. The toile pattern is characterized by a repeating pattern – most often country scenes, but can also be street scenes, churches, people, and more. Toile is traditionally made in a single color – most often green or red –  on a cream or white background; however, I’ve seen modern toile in a variety of colors including brown, burgundy, black, and blue.

Decorating with Toile

Although toile can bring an elegant and sophisticated look to any room, the repetitive pattern can be quite overwhelming en masse. In other words, with toile, less is more. I recommend using toile in accent pieces, including:

  • Throw pillows
  • Shams, sheets, or quilts
  • Pottery or decorative serving ware
  • Select draperies and valencies
  • One wall in a small or large room

By limiting the use of toile, it truly becomes the most eye-catching design or piece in the room. Discover more ways to decorate with toile by clicking here.

Ciao!

PS. Thank you to my cousin David for inspiring this post!

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Guide to a Travel Chic Wardrobe

October 17, 2011 by

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In just two days, I’ll be headed to Hawaii for a two-week business trip/anniversary trip. When packing for a trip, it’s just as important to consider what you will wear on the plane as is it to decide what to wear on the ground.

Like any aspiring chic French woman, comfort is key, but style can’t be forgotten, even when traveling. My business trips are usually limited to 3-4 hour jaunts around the US;  however, an 8-9 hour flight to Hawaii takes special consideration in regard to what to wear in transit. Not only do I need to consider being confined to my seat for an extended period of time, but I also need to address the temperature difference, leaving 40-degree Chicago weather and landing in 85-degree heat.

To address all of these factors – comfort, style, temperature, and flight length – I believe that wearing layers is a must, provided your under layers are just as cute as your outer ones. Let’s take a look at how to pair functionality and practicality with a bit of style:

3 Go-To Travel Chic Outfits

  1. Preppy Chic – Khaki pants, short or long-sleeve white button-down, with a lightweight v-neck navy sweater or waist-length cardigan. Throw on a strand of long pearls just for fun!
  2. High Street Fashionista – Your favorite or most comfortable jeans, crisp white t-shirt, a velvet blazer (a la Jcrew), paired with a scarf or long necklace.
  3. Celebrity in Disguise – Long, wide leg black yoga pants (I prefer Lucy) paired with a short-sleeve solid t-shirt with a long-sleeve black t-shirt on top. Add oversized sunglasses and a chunky scarf for the dramatic effect.
What’s your go-to travel outfit?
Ciao!

 

 

 

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Why the French Grocery Shop Every Day

September 15, 2011 by

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One thing I admire about French women (and there are many things) is their ability to shop for their meals every day. No stocking up for a month, or even a few weeks, for these girls. They don’t want to be tied down to food they have in the house, but rather eat whatever they fancy on any given day. Really, fresh meats, bread, cheese, and vegetables every day – what’s not to admire about that?

Unfortunately, most cities, suburbs, villages, etc. in the United States are not set up for you to quickly run to the store each day. Due to the time consuming drive and the endless selections everywhere we look, a quick trip to the market – or worse, Costco – can easily turn into an hour – so long that you’ve forgotten why you went there in the first place.

I am not advocating wasting food that you currently have in the house. But what would happen if we were to grocery shop like the French – changing our whole outlook on food and shopping – buying only what we need for that day or maybe the next? Would we enjoy our food more? Waste less? Would we be healthier?

If you’ve found a way to grocery shop like the French – even with a busy lifestyle; or if you’ve experienced positive results from shopping this way (ie becoming healthier, etc.) please share your secret du jour!

Ciao!

Filed Under: Food & Wine Tagged With: , , , , , ,
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