lili: April 2012

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

April Showers

This month's Goodwill Hunting challenge is (naturally) "April Showers", so I was ecstatic when I found this Petit Bateau Raincoat at the Goodwill in Elmsford, NY.

I was also ecstatic because it's really cute!

A peek of the navy & white striped lining

The hood is detachable

And, it was only $9.99, versus 120€. (Not to mention a trip to Paris.)

I also found this coat at the Salvation Army store in Davenport, Iowa...

Yes, that's Christian Dior.

And yes, it's $10.

Unfortunately it's a men's coat.

That didn't stop me from trying it on though! (It's Christian Dior!)

Lemons & Chambray found some cute bags for the April Showers challenge, including one that's navy and French (great minds think alike you know!).

Next month's Goodwill Hunting challenge: May Flowers!

(of course)

Sunday, April 8, 2012

Earl Grey Chocolate Cake

Oops.

I missed being Pinspired in March. (I don't know how 52 Weeks of Pinspiration does it every week!)

Anyway, I found this recipe for Chocolate Earl Grey Cake through one sheepish girl yesterday, and immediately pinned it on Pinterest.

Then I thought, "Nope, not good enough. I have to actually MAKE it.".

So I did.

And, it was good!

source

Saturday, April 7, 2012

Sweet Home Chicago

I grew up about three hours west of Chicago, and always wanted to live there.

But, after graduating from college, I ended up in Kansas City (which I loved).

Still...

I always wanted to live in Chicago.

So, after many (13!) years in Kansas City, I booked a trip, just to check out the housing situation - see what apartments in my (very low) price range were like.

I was thinking they would either be horrible, and I would go back to Kansas City and forget about moving. Or, they would be nice, and I would go back to Kansas City and start planning to move.

What I wasn't thinking was that there would only be ONE that I liked (no, loved).

But, there was...

So I didn't know what to do.

Go back to Kansas City and forget about Chicago, since only one apartment (out of seven that I looked at) is not a good ratio?

Or, go back to Kansas City and start planning to move, because if there's one, there will be others?

Neither.

I bought it.

I thought I would live there forever, but two years later, I was transferred to New York.

(I cried.)

I didn't want to sell, so rented it out instead.

After four years, the apartment is vacant again, so I spent this past weekend in Chicago, painting, cleaning and getting the apartment ready for the new tenant.

And, since she's going to be living there, I let her pick the colors...

(all from the Pottery Barn Spring 2012 collection by Benjamin Moore)

Living Room & Hall - Huntington Beige