Beautiful Bayfield

We usually manage to squeeze a morning excursion to Bayfield in when we’re up north, and this past trip was no exception. The rows of quaint shops and restaurants, picturesque scenes of sailboats and flower-covered rocks set against the backdrop of the Apostle Islands, and fresh Lake Superior air make it a must-see destination. The nearby berry patches and apple orchards, well, more on that tomorrow….

No trip is complete without spending a few minutes, or hours, browsing here...

....stopping to grab a few unbelievably delicious Cold Fusions at Big Water Coffee...

...before heading down to the harbor to take in views like this....

...and this.

Unplugged

We’ve returned from the wilds of northern Wisconsin, and even though we had to scale back our annual weeklong trip to just a few days, the lack of phones, Internet, cable TV and city noise left us feeling relaxed and rejuvenated. If you ask me, endless hours of talking, reading, hiking, fishing, picture taking, and drinking Old Fashioneds represent the perfect way to spend the last few days of a great midwestern summer….

Sunrise over the fog-covered lake

Crystal clear waters alongside the dock

Endless trees beneath miles of cloudless blue skies

The long climb back up to civilization

Day trip to a nearby trail

Hiking beneath webs of pine tree needles

Dainty lilac daisies underfoot along the way

The final destination: a remote, lily pad-covered pond

Watching the sunset on the deck, listening to frogs, cocktails in hand

Northwoods Bound

Off to Wisconsin for a few days of much-needed rest and relaxation....

See you next week!

About Face

Jerry Hall

On a recent lazy afternoon, I had finally had the chance to sit down and watch the HBO documentary About Face. I’ve always been captivated by the world of fashion and modeling, but I’ve had to get my media fix from sources such as The Making of the Swimsuit Issue and the early years of America’s Next Top Model. I’ve never been able to bring myself to watch any of the recent reality shows on the topic. 

Luckily, in the last few years, there has been a number of sophisticated films offering a peak into the exclusive industry including: Bill Cunningham New York, The September Issue, and Valentino: The Last Emperor. It seems that About Face can now be added to the list. The models interviewed are timeless and, while watching Jerry Hall throw her head back and laugh, I found myself wishing that I could have been around in their respective heydays.

Carmen Dell'Orefice

Isabella Rossellini

Carol Alt

China Machado

Christie Brinkley

Windy City Weekend

Love Birds Taking Their Chances with Record Waves

My cousin and his very fun girlfriend stayed with us over the weekend to experience all that Chicago and its little neighbor to the north, Evanston, have to offer. I always enjoy showing adventurous visitors around town as it encourages me to rediscover local favorites (namely Lou Maltnati’s, Wrigley Field and nearby watering holes such as Murphy’s Bleachers and Dark Horse Tap and Grille) and explore my own quaint little neighborhood (at new late night spots like Taco Diablo). As evidenced in the few pictures that we managed to take, the weather was the perfect backdrop to a few nonstop days of family-filled festivities. 

A nod to my hometown heroes and, might I add, the winners of the game

Amid throngs of tourists gaping up at the legendary marquee

A view from our seats of a surprising sea of red shirts, captured in between bites of a world-famous Vienna Beef

A sweet ending to the weekend (inspired by this) and beginning of Shark Week