A Spring Dress With Flex

I realized upon recent inspection of my closet that my Spring wardrobe screams less chic and more Salvation Army. I'm one of those keep-them-just-in-case kind of gals, but a series of stretched-out cotton tank tops from middle school just won't cut it anymore. That's the sad truth. It's time to revise. My goal is to add a few versatile and more grown-up pieces like this one from New York & Company to my wardrobe.

$54.95 New York & Co. City Style Colorblock Shift Dress

Stephanie Simek Strikes Again

Just try to make sense of 25-year-old Stephanie Simek’s world. Rererato, the Portland-based art/music space she shares with her man, Adam Keller sounds as wacky and interesting as the exhibits they feature. Take, “Spaghetti: A Rhinestone Studded Suburban Dream.”

But if you can't make it to Portland, you can still experience Simek's equally interesting wearable art here in Chicago (1951 W. Division, www.habitchicago.com. Simek has added a new piece to her collection and it's just as eye-catching as her eyelash necklace. The centerpiece is a delicate pearlized Turbo Cinereus shell filled with a silver powder that sprinkles a dusting on the wearer's chest when tapped.

$95 www.StephanieSimek.com

Shooting The Breeze With Simek

TCG: How do you come up with ideas for your pieces?

SS: I like thinking about materials, all kinds of them and, how to they can be worn. I collect materials and then sometimes later they take the form of jewelry or adornment.

TCG: When did you start designing jewelry? When did your work start catching on?

SS: I started this line in the summer and things have been going pretty good from the start. I think because they are somewhat unusual, they've been getting some attention.

TCG: Would you say you have sort of a cult following for your jewelry?

SS: I'm not sure about that, but I am very pleased that even though I am based in the U.S., more than half of my sales come from other countries.

Simek's Projects:

Hello Baby Bird

Rer-what-oh?

Walgreen's DUDS

Walgreens wants you to done their new duds. The problem is that their "clothing line" really is a dud. The Casual Gear line is cheap, but if Walgreens thinks they're marketing anything other then pajamas, then they've really woken up on the wrong side of the bed. Stick to what you know best Walgreens--condoms and candy.

Clean And Simple Charactures

The subjects of her art are dreamlike caricatures drawn with clean lines, sprinkled with a touch whimsy and a Japanese anime flair.

Chicago artist Laura George attaches simple themes to each of her drawings. The result is an image that conveys a singular thought and expresses that thought in a clever and upfront manner.

Rebirth: A New Life In Perth?

Is it curiosity, a question of identity or an innate existential desire to wonder what it would be like to be someone else?

What if you gave up your job, friends, hobbies, and home to a stranger and left town with only your wallet and a sense of wanderlust?

One man in Perth is doing just that. After divorcing his wife a year ago, his home that was meant for two started to feel like an itchy wool that had to come off. He’s aching to throw it aside and start new so he’s selling his life on EBay, seriously. The winner is expected to bid roughly $500,000 for everything from his skydiving equipment, car, big screen TV to his job and introduction to his friends.

Bidding takes place on June 22. Check out his website: A Life For Sale.

Lady Inside The Red Diary

Read The Red:

The Red Leather Diary

Release Date: April 8

Born and raised in Chicago, 26-year-old writer, Lily Koppel began her career doing celebrity reporting, going on to cover the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and eventually creating her own beat covering the hidden characters of old New York.

But it was the story that Koppel found in an old diary in the dumpster outside her apartment building that bridged the gap between her reporting and personal life. The diary follows the life of a young woman through 1929 to 1934 whose candid accounts range from sexual curiosity, a love of Baudelaire to horseback riding in Central park.

Koppel immediately identifies with the author in her self-consciousness, love of the arts, and free-spirited nature so much so that she hires a private detective to find the author with the only clue the inscription on the frontispiece being—"This book belongs to …Florence Wolfson."

From there, Koppel and Wolfson begin an unlikely friendship that gives new life and perspective to both.

Raise A Glass To The Winos With Class

I See Wine In Your Future & Lots Of It
Wine enthusiast heaven

Whether a snob or wine gringo, you can find a Pinot Grigio or learn some vino lingo at The Toast Of The Town at The Field Museum.

Bring your buds (taste buds & your posse) to the May 1 event. Over 500 wines and spirits will be paired (what cute couples) with food from some of the city's hottest restaurants. Tickets are pricey at $95 a pop, but you can save $10/ticket if you're bringing a crowd of over 6.

C'mon, I'm giving you enough notice to start saving. Besides, you really don't need these. They look ridiculous on you.


Please email your events to melissa.a.talon@gmail.com

This Chicago Girl

This Chicago Girl Went To Market: I have been on the hunt for a grocery tote bag that's trendy and functional. This is it. TT Collections

This Chicago Girl Stayed Home: I need new bedding, desperately. This set from Overstock.com just might make the cut.

This Chicago Girl Went To: Nordstrom Rack gets a new shipment in on tomorrow. It's too early for any decent Spring sales, but now is a good time to scope out what you want to buy.

Got a Beef with TCG? Let's settle it on Mr. Beef Blvd.