This past Saturday I was able to have an amazing Girls Night Out with friends and all because of Dove Visibly Smooth Deodorant. I LOVE Dove so it’s was pretty exciting to work with a brand I actually use and respect.

We started out our night as Scoozi!, a fantastic Italian place that had the best prosciutto and gnocchi ever. Somehow while eating all this very delicious food, our conversation got shifted to boxed mac and cheese (preferably of the shaped variety) and we talked about it for a good 10 minutes. And it wasn’t even me who brought it up! But I definitely contributed because obviously I have Very Strong Opinions on mac and cheese. I think everyone knows that by now.

Finishing dinner, we walked out the door to find our car. What? OH THAT’S JUST OUR LIMO. We piled inside and rolled up to Trader Joe, obviously. We had to stock up our limo bar with drinks! Two of my lovely guests, Renee and Maggie, headed back home for the night after that but they definitely got a little limo action in there since we drove them to their destinations.

Maggie, Stacey and Renee in our limo

After declaring that I found that Ke$ha broad incredibly annoying and discussing whether pterodactyls are really dinosaurs, we headed to Redhead Piano Bar. We were officially about 20 years too young for this place especially when made our way toward the piano and  tried to request Bad Romance. If you guessed he didn’t play it, you’re the winner! We also found a Marilyn Monroe wannabe looking lady but it kind of came off more like Anna Nicole Smith and she kept following us around the bar. We tried to get a picture of her especially after she put on this hideous long fur coat. It was creepy/hilarious.

lots and lots of print going on

We hopped back in our limo and still had a little bit of time left with the car so we just drove around, tapped out our bar and had a limo dance party. If you were in the River North area Saturday night and caught a glimpse of a car full of slightly obnoxious girls, OH HI NICE TO SEE YOU TOO.

Suz and Leah making calls from our bad ass car phone.

We bid our driver adieu and hopped out at Streeters for a couple more drinks. Leah and Suz told the dj it was my birthday and requested he play Tik Tok. I love that I went from omg I hate this bitch to THIS IS MY SHIT in the time span of three hours. Yes, it was that kind of night.

I’m assuming this is where I was talking pedicures on my toes, toes and trying on all my clothes, clothes

It was an absolutely fantastic night. Thanks so much to my guests who made it out. Those who couldn’t, you were truly missed. And most of all thank you to Dove Visibly Smooth for helping my friends and I have a delightfully epic night on the town!

And since you all couldn’t be there to grab your own to try, if you comment on this post I’ll automatically enter you to win one of five (5) sticks of Dove Visibly Smooth for yourself. I’ll choose winners next Monday. Yay!

P.S. The thing I love and hate about Twitter*, is that I can fill myself in on all the bad decisions I made the previous night. Along with text messages, I realized exactly why I felt so shitty the next morning. I mean, I DRANK MILLER LITE. I can count on both hands all the times I’ve drank beer before let alone Miller Lite.

P.P.S. If you search #DoveGNO you can see most of our tweets from the evening as well as Tara’s party that was going on in LA at the same time.

P.P.P.S. For the record, I definitely did not wake up Sunday morning feeling like PDiddy.

(DISCLOSURE: To participate in the Dove Visibly Smooth VIP program, I was provided with five (5) product samples to giveaway on my blog as well as ten (10) product samples for my guests, car service and compensation for dinner out with my friends. Dove provided me with these items so I could organize the event myself and without any influence from Dove.)

Every year come November, I start dreading the winter. When February hits, I wonder why in the world am I still living in Chicago. That’s where I am at right now. I’m dreaming of California. Even by late March birthday? Still a chance for snow. Come May, we should be all clear. Then summer hits and I fall in love with my city all over and decide I never want to leave. Until winter hits again.

Repeat. Year. After. Year.

Right now I’m in full on hibernation mode.

I hate leaving the house unless I absolutely have to because it’s way too cold to want to do anything. I’d much rather sit at home in comfy clothes watching Mad Men and wondering how exactly do I make an old fashioned. I have all the necessities for Project Waiting for Spring: a fridge full of wine. A puppy. A shelf full of books and tv shows on dvd. Gchat open for talks with friends. If I had a boy too, someone would probably have to physically drag me kick and screaming from here. I definitely wouldn’t emerge until late spring.

It takes a hell of a lot to get me out these days. Saturday it was lunch at DMK Burger Bar with some of my favorite Chicago girls and it was totally worth it. This coming weekend I have a movie! Valentine’s Day movie on Valentine’s Day weekend.Basically, I go out maybe once every two weeks, if that. I promise you’ll see more of me out and about when it gets nicer out.

Maybe I’m boring, lazy or lame but until you’ve been through a Chicago/Midwest winter, you have no idea. It sucks. A lot.

AND.

Rumor has it, we’re suppose to get hit with 10 inches of snow all in 24 hours.

So now you know where to find me.

Let’s cuddle.

I know nothing about wine. I couldn’t tell you about the floral or fruity hints to it. Smelling or swishing it around in my mouth won’t do anything for me. Years mean nothing to me.

I just like drinking it.

So what better way to choose your wine than picking out whichever is prettiest?

I told twitter about an adorable bottle of wine I bought about a month ago and then decided all the wine I would get from now on would be based on labels. Twitter wholeheartedly agreed with me and I was all, “OMG Let’s have a pretty wine label party!” then the awesome Working Girl Two was like “I’ll host it at my place!” which was fabulous because I live on the south side and people are afraid of the south side (and I don’t mean south loop. That is not the fucking south side.) and it’s is hard to get to.

ANYWAY.

Yesterday was our party. And it was amazing!

This is only a small portion of all the wine we had.

I really wish we would have got a photo of all of the bottles lined up. We had some really great ones. But at the time, drinking totally trumped photo taking. Understandable, right?

We basically had the best group of people come and had like 423 bottles of wine and snacks. Porch hangouts led to wine shots in the kitchen with Jess and Erin. Things were getting a little crazy and Lacey was like just stay with me and Nicole tonight instead of driving home and then the party REALLY got started. We killed off all of the white wine while having the most epic dance party in the history of the world.

No, really. Madonna. Nsync. The motherfucking LION KING.

And it only got better from there because POP! There went the red wine and the iPod started burning up because we were playing dj and dancing like crazy.

It was seriously one of the best nights I have ever had in my life. Everyone got along famously and had an amazing time. I really need more time with friends like this.

Thanks so much, ladies, for coming and hanging out.

I’m SO ready for Pretty Wine Party 2.0!

In effort to be serious about this whole expanding my food horizons thing and trying new things, I accepted an invitation. Earlier this week I attended a dinner for Cruzan Rum at Sushi Samba here in Chicago.

I’m not going to lie, the “sushi” in the name of the restaurant kinda intimidated me and I almost said no. But then they were all, RUM cocktails paired with every course and then I couldn’t refuse. Hell, if the food sucked and they refused to serve me chicken fingers, at least I could probably get drunk.

Then I got there and was a little confused. All the others who were attending were big Chicago bloggers, like Gapers Block or Chicago Foodies. Here I am surrounded by food bloggers and club/bar owners and answering the “oh your part of the media?” question with “Hi, I’m Jamie. I have a blog called Oh! How Lovely! and I write about my puppy, fictional vampires, Lady Gaga’s ass and hating sushi”. I really doubt I was the only one a tad bit confused by that.

But whatever, I ran with it.

Our table was covered with glasses. There were probably at least three different drinks at my table setting at once. It was kind of ridiculous but I was NOT about to give up my raspberry mojito until I was done with it, dammit.

And the food? Well, I tried lots of things I never had before.

Here’s a breakdown of the courses that I yanked from the chef’s twitter account. Yes, he tweeted the courses as they came out with photos. Pretty neat, huh?

Cruzan rum dinner scallops watermelon chili (pic)
Rum dinner tuna sevieche malaguta coconut and key lime (pic)
Blackstrap glazed salmon (pic)
Beef short rib and single barrel demi arepa roasted corn (pic)
Chocolate banana cake. Banana rum ice cream. Maple and plantain chip. (pic)

As for what I thought:

The scallops were kind of salty. They were okay but I’m not a huge fan. I definitely did not like the sevieche. The cold, the coconut and the tuna just did not work for me. The salmon was okay. I’m not a huge fish person so whatever but it was good. The short rib was fantastic! If they hadn’t of given us huge portions of each course, I easily could have finished this but I was stuffed. The dessert was nice. I liked the ice cream a lot. I’m not a huge chocolate cake fan and it was pretty rich but it was good if you’re a chocolate cake kind of person.

All in all, my first step into being more adventurous with my eating went well. I’m proud of myself that I least tried everything, even if it looked or sounded weird because I didn’t know what the hell was in it. Maybe I can bump myself up to eating like an 8 year old now.

I’m now taking recommendations for my next Chicago spot to try.

Preferably a place with raspberry mojitos.

The other day I was asking about cute coffee shops and cafes that had WiFi on Twitter. I was going to be meeting some girls and wanted a comfortable place to talk and get some work done. And as always, my internetz comes through for me.

Psuedostoops suggested Sip on Grand so after a little Yelping, I decided this was the place I wanted to try.

Sip Coffee House
1223 W. Grand

First of all, it is a house. Two stories so there is plenty of room and it’s open and airy but still cozy. Lots of windows so there is a ton of natural light. No dark corners for angsty hipsters to act like they are better than you. The patrons were a mix of yuppies and hipsters from 20s-40s. Big comfy couches and table space. Miss matched coffee mugs on shelves. A wall full of magazines. There is a small outdoor patio in the middle of the house and then there is the porch in the back.

The baristas were super cool and friendly. If they internet went down, they hurried to fix it. They understood my something-that-is-super-yummy-doesn’t-taste-like-coffee babble and suggested one of their blenderz because they “kind of taste like ice cream”. Now that is how to get a non coffee drinker to buy a coffee drink! (even if it was $5.50. Ouch!)

Lots of seating and outlets.  I went on a Monday around 10:30 and it wasn’t crowded so I didn’t have to fight for a spot. The internet was a bit spotty but they were on top of it every time it went down. They have food as well but I didn’t get to try any. Next time because there will definitely be a next time.

Maybe I’ll move to the west loop so that can be my coffee shop.

Or just live there.

Whatever.

BlogHer last year was a great experience for me. I met so many friends and amazing people that I respected so much for putting themselves out there. I learned so much and realized that maybe I could do this, really do this. I couldn’t be more grateful for the experience I had in San Francisco last year. This year BlogHer is bringing it back to Chicago. I’m thrilled that everyone is in my city!

Tonight we kick it off with a couple parties and dinner with some favorite girls and tomorrow the conference starts.

Are you attending BlogHer? Shoot me an email or DM to make sure we connect while I’m there. I can’t wait to meet everyone!

If you want to know what I’m up to while I’m there, what sessions I’m in, who I’m hearing speak, who I’m drinking wine and eating cheeseburgHers with and if I successfully stalked Tim Gunn make sure you follow me on Twitter.

@jamielovely

P.S. You can keep up with the conversation by using #BlogHer09.

Sexy, huh?

Yesterday I made a trip to my favorite cupcake spot, Swirlz Cupcakes (where Pam happened to remember me from this day) to pick up some minis. Obviously, I had to get a cupcake for myself so I chose red velvet. My frosting got a little messed up on the way home but I can assure you it tastes just as amazing. I’m a fan of cupcakes for breakfast.

If you’re coming to my pre-BlogHer meet up today, there will be a few mini cupcakes there. Hopefully the make the trip safely without tipping over or um… accidentally eaten on the way there!

I tried a new hair salon.

Cue: Shock! Awe! Gasp!

I was well overdue for a cut and my normal stylist, Mary, schedule changed so she’s been harder to book. The next available appointment was like June 20th and well, that just wasn’t happening.

So I had to look elsewhere. I searched Yelp! like it was my job until I found a new salon and someone to ask for.

Enter: Twisted Scissors

I magically managed to score an appointment with one of the owners, Angela. I was told just how hard it is to get in with her last minute because she books at least a month out in advance. Once they told me this, I knew I was in good hands.

Angela was every bit as amazing as they say she is. She listened to what I wanted (less boring, more edgy but still keeping length) and gave me her input (texture, more layers and bangs!) and I even felt comfortable enough to let her take a razor to my hair. And you know I’m an anal retentive freak when it comes to my hair. She took off some length (my hair was almost down to my waist), added in more layers for texture and volume and did a more blunt bang than the sweepy long ones I use to get.

The salon itself is a really cool spot. Great music coming from the speakers, kitschy decor and pin up decked walls. Best part about it? Haircuts start at $30 for women (mine was $40). Affordable and the best blow out ever.

I’m in love.

Sometime last week I got an email asking if I would like to review a copy of Jen Lancaster’s (of Jennsylvania fame) new book, Pretty in Plaid. My response was something like, “Duh, of course.” Then I seen the trailer she made for the book and knew this was probably the best idea ever.

Then I thought about you guys and asked for a second copy to giveaway to my readers. I know many of you are fans of her other books, Bitter is the New Black, Bright Lights, Big Ass and Such a Pretty Fat so I figured it would be a pretty sweet giveaway! Bitter is the New Black is probably one of my favorite books because Jen is just so ridiculously hilarious. Plus, she has two really cute puppies. AND is from Chicago!

Pretty in Plaid is all about Jen’s life through clothing and how your clothing defines you as a person. I just dug into it but I will be sure to write about my thoughts once I wrap it up!

Catch Jen Lancaster on her book tour where she is encouraging everyone to show up in their fiercest 80s garb. See the dates here and make sure you say hi to me at the Chicago stop on May 28th!

So like I said, I’m going to be giving one of copy of Pretty in Plaid away. How do you win, you ask?

Do you feel like how you dress defines who you are? Do you have that staple status piece in your wardrobe that makes you feel just awesome when you rock it?

(Mine is my Marc by Marc Jacobs bag. I adore it! It’s gorgeous and buttery soft and goes with everything. Plus, duh, it’s Marc Jacobs.)

How to enter:

• You must answer the above question in a comment.
• For an extra entry: twitter about this giveaway and link to your tweet in the comments. (You can follow me on Twitter here.)
• For another extra entry: post your own entry about this giveaway and link back to it in the comments here.
• Do it by 11:59PM on Monday May 11th.
• Winner will be announced Tuesday May 12th.

Well, I ended up cancelling my birthday plans because I wasn’t feeling good. That sucked a lot. I’m hoping to reschedule soon and get all my girls out!

The following day, William took me out to dinner for my birthday. I chose Hot Chocolate. Let me start off by saying, I’m not much of a foodie. I don’t have a refined palate. I’m a simple girl, I don’t need fancy stuff. But OMG, can we pretend I do more often? Seriously, I don’t think I have ever moaned and groaned while eating before. It was delicious. I’m planning on going back soon to try their mac and cheese and another dessert I missed out on.

Anyone in Chicago up for a Hot Chocolate date when I get back?

Get back from where you ask?

On Thursday, I leave for Florida for a few days. I’m really excited about getting out of Chicago for a little while and into some warm weather. And obviously, Mickey Mouse and roller coasters. Duh. Jenn hasn’t been there since she was little so it’s time to show her the way of the Mouse. We don’t do that space center bullshit (ahem).

Also, I’ll be (hopefully) meeting up with a few of you Orlando people. If you haven’t heard from me and would like to grab dinner or drinks, email me!

There will be a few guest posters while I’m away too so play nice.

Time to pack.

(And by pack I obviously mean: time to put in Twilight and laugh at the ridiculousness of it. It’s just so bad it’s good.)