Gals' Guide

Save the Date: March 25Gals' Guide Spring Break

March 25

Downtown Chicago

Gals' Guide Style

Hint: No drama. No attitude. No pretensions.

What Do You Get When You Mix Olives & Chocolate?Why, That's Easy. The Cholive!

GG reader, Zorica, told me about this new project she was working with - cholives. I started to giggle and thought, 'What the heck is a cholive?'  Then she mentioned that the same company makes chruffles. I was excited to learn that she was sending me some cholives and chruffles to sample.

Imagine a chocolate morsel that is shaped like an olive, but has some chocolate goodness on the inside. That's a cholive:). My first thought when these came in the mail was a chocolate martini - and placing one of the cholives with the drink as a fun side. That's when I saw the funky toothpick-like sticks that come with the cholives, ready for you, the hostess, to place in the drinks. Fun!

Up next were chruffles, and you guessed i, they look like 'truffles'.  The flavors were good (Michael and I were digging the mint), but these particular chocolate goodies weren't top top on my list. It's hard for any truffle to take the place in my heart for Katrina's Vosges Chocolate:).

Cholives are a smart idea for any bar or lounge to keep on hand for their chocolate creations. It's also a handy trick to keep at home for entertaining!

Thanks, Z, for letting me try these out and keep Gals' Guide up to date with where we can find them in Chicago!   

Maximize Your Time With Learning Something NewFrench Class On My iPhone

As MUCH as I try to sit down, drink tea and read a book, it doesn't happen. My mind starts to spin with a blog post I'd like to write or a new site I'd like to research. I can't help it.  I like look up something in that moment, which means I don't get quality time reading books, aside from a newspaper or magazine.  

In the back of my mind, I also know that what I tried reading or learning can most likely be done in an audio format.  I'm sure you've all heard of 'books on tape'?  I actually read 'Bridget Jones' Diary' via audio cassette...I had to drive to Iowa for work and practically begged the HR Director to give allow me to expense books on tape for the long trek on I-80.  This was way back in 1999.(Remind me to share some old stories about my trips to Iowa and the hilarity that ensued in places like - the gas station).  

The beauty of innovation and technology is that the majority of you have a tool that will enable you to read, watch and hear content - when you like it and how often you'd like to hear it. What's this tool, ladies? The iPod.

Making the Gloomy Winter Months...Not So GloomyHow Me and My Gal Pals Did It

Unfortunately, January and February get a bad rap.  Cold months that are in between the holidays and Spring - it can be easy to hibernate, eat what you shouldn't and sulk. When I was 24, there was a handful of us gals that made the best of the winter months, while saving money and having a ball at the same time. Ladies, I'm talking about the 'Rotating Dinner Party'.

The concept is simple, really, but I think the art of the potluck is too often missed. Each week, we'd pick a friends apartment and host a dinner. This person typically had roommates and it made the get together that more fun.  Each guest was to bring a side dish, with the host putting together the main course. Money wasn't an issue - since every hostess ended up paying and cooking for the main dish. 

Over time, my own personal cooking skills improved and I became a better planner at my own dinner parties. More importantly, we were 6-8 ladies in our early 20s, new to Chicago, living alone and didn't want to break our banks.  Our potlucks also happened during the week, which left the weekend if the crew wanted to go out to on the town.

Some Tips for your own Rotating Dinner Party

• Bring your own tupperware containers to take home leftovers (we always had leftovers)
• Make note of any allergies in the group or non meat eaters. Also respect the traditions of any friends that may eat Kosher, etc.  
• Use these little gatherings to experiment with 'new' things. If you are among friends, I'm sure the ladies won't poke too much fun at you - I bet they'll provide recommendations along the way.
• A good sized group is 6-8. Larger than 8 and the hostess may have too many dishes to do and will have more folks to 'gingerly' tell to leave home so she can sleep - especially on a week night.
• When picking wine, experiment, go nuts. Try something else than Yellowtail or Rosemount Estates:). You can get a mighty fine wine for $10. Got questions? I already approved you going ahead and emailing/texting my hubby, who's a sommelier. He loves answering wine q's.  

By the time Spring rolls around, you'll have tried new foods, had terrific conversations with your lady friends and maybe grow the tradition to include something new for Summer. Happy Rotating! 

Announcing: The Gals' Guide Shopping Mall

 

It's here, ladies! In honor of the busiest shopping time of the year, we are kicking off our new section, The Gals' Guide Shopping Mall! Check this page daily for discounts, deals and offers from some of your favorite brands including:

• Arden B
• Sephora 
• Express 
• Target 
• GAP 
• Old Navy 
• Macy's 
• Nordstrom 
• Shoes.com 
• Apple 
• Dell 
• Puma 
• ShopBop 
• Lord & Taylor 
• American Eagle Outfitters  

This is a permanent site feature, so check back often! 

Image credit: PieterMusterd

Exciting News: Meet the Gals' Guide Intern!

It is my pleasure to welcome Nicole Fosco to Gals' Guide! Nicole is our new intern and already making strides in helping bring Gals' Guide to college students. Serving as the Campus Coordinator for the University of Illinois, Nicole will also be managing the Facebook group, events and even begin contributing her thoughts about life in her soon-to-be 20s.

Welcome, Nicole!

Whether it’s seeing Hairspray three times, taking the Orange Line to Oak Street Beach, or pretending she can afford the clothes on Michigan Avenue with her friends, Nicole Fosco is no stranger to the Windy City. She grew up on the Southside of Chicago and that’s exactly where her heart is. But for now, her home away from home is in Champaign-Urbana. Nicole is part of the first freshman class in the College of Media at the University of Illinois and is majoring in advertising.

When she’s not in class, at a meeting, in the computer lab trying to teach herself Photoshop, or checking things off of her never-ending to-do list, she tries to remember to have fun-because c’mon, it’s college! Even though she sometimes feels like just a number, she is starting to realize how great a place U of I really is. She still gets homesick, misses her boyfriend and friends, but it’s all part of the great process called growing up. She hopes to study abroad in Italy or Paris and eventually live in the best place in the world, downtown Chicago (which could be pretty dangerous for a girl whose first word was “credit card”).

Special Announcement: Gal Wins Emmy

I wanted to spread the good news and let you know what me and some other NBC5 folks just accomplished. Let this be a true lesson to you all: hard work and dedication DOES indeed pay off:)

Blagica Bottigliero, NBC5 Street Team (Video) What a night! I wasn't able to join the gang at the Emmy ceremonies tonight, but I received word from our fearless leader, Marcus Riley, that our team won the Emmy for Outstanding Achievement for Alternate Media/New Media Interactivity, Looptopia.

Congrats to my fellow NBC5 Street Teamers: Marcus Riley, Zach Christman, Producers; Mark Luciano, Technical Advisor; Kaylee King, Theresa Carter, Erik Sorensen, Reggie Brown, Jim Grillo, Angie Gormas, Susan Noble, Shlomi Rabi, Jennifer O'Neil, Laura Lodewyck, Chasity Johnson, Blagica Bottigliero, Liz Holland, LeeAnn Trotter, NiCole Thomas, Damaris Woodbury
Way to go, everyone.

Thank You, Loyola's Women in Business

Before my head hits the pillow, I wanted to say thank you to Danielle B. for inviting me to speak to the Women in Business group at Loyola.

I talked about the evolution of Gals' Guide, what it was like to start out after college and how this site continues to inspire me daily. So many terrific ideas came out of tonight's chat, that my mind is spinning. Of course, one step at a time, but the night was uber rewarding.

Thanks for having me ladies!

What I learned tonight:
There are SO many ladies out there that are going through the exact same things you are. Here's to doing what we can to make things a little easier on everyone!

Oh, after that? I went to the Apple store, only to find out that my PowerBook died. Luckily, the Genius bar took care of me and they will be holding my 12" toy for another week. Alas, I won't be able to type on the go for a while, but at least I have my main machine at home.