Happy Birthday Anna Belle

 

Happy Birthday Anna Belle!

 

Today is Anna Belle's 1st birthday, and like every good fur mom we celebrated.

 

 

Some doggie cake and doggie ice cream were gobbled up and I even sang to her.

 

Poor Anna Belle.

 

After a much needed trip to the Alabama gulf coast we both got filled with sun, sand, and good time with friends both canine and human.

 

 

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I've been very absent lately from blog world, but all of you know how that is.

 

Sometimes life takes over and this blog world becomes a back burner.

 

I love places like TW and IG where I can continue to keep up with all of you even when I'm busy as can be.

 

So if you aren't already - find me & follow me @ homesweetauburn.

 

Chicago Trip - Places Pt 2

Chicago, Part Two!

We stayed on Michigan Ave/Magnificent Mile, which was a fabulous location with walking to just about everything you could ever want. 

The shopping was incredible and rightfully so. The architecture in Chicago was great from suburban parts to downtown. Alabama doesn't have a lot of well, "wow" buildings and and a big city tends to always be drawing your eye up with beauties of steel and concrete. 

Being in the construction industry, I've grown to love the beauties built with a lot of love, passion and hard work, sweat, and stress. 

 

Burberry - Michigan Ave

Millenium Park - The Bean 

The BEAN!!!!

Willis Tower - Skydeck ! 

Shedd Aquarium 

Wrigley Field - Cubs vs the Mets

Ball park beer, duh! 

Navy Pier  / Ferris Wheel 

I  really enjoyed my trip to Chicago and eating my way around the city and I can't wait til next year's trip. 

A couple ideas include.. Colorado, Maine, or maybe even Wyoming.

This trip crossed Illinois off my "states" to visit list! 

I now have 20/50, at 40% .... 30 more! 

Chicago Trip - Food

A week or so ago, my childhood best friend and I had hopped on planes and headed north to a girls getaway in Chicago!

The entire trip was amazing... filled with some great food, laughter,  and lots of walking. 

Lots and Lots of great food, so much so that in this two part series - this one is all about food. 

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We went to some pretty incredible restaurants that have some pretty famous chefs; 

Frontera Grill - Rick Bayless 

Girl & The Goat - Chef Stephanie Izard 

G.E.B. - Chef Graham Elliot

---------- Girl & The Goat ---------

 

Oyster du jour 

Green Garlic Potato Wontons 

Escargot Ravioli 

Goat Empanadas, favorite dish of the night

------------- G.E.B. --------------

Rabbit Flatbread 

Berkshire Pork chop / Polenta

We even met Graham Elliot himself, you would have thought I was 12 yo meeting the Backstreet Boys.. I about come unglued when I saw him across the restaurant. Such an honor to shake hands with talk with such an amazing chef ! 

-------------- FRONTERA ---------------

They key lime, raspberry dessert was HEAVEN. 

Margaritas at Frontera were VERY good (& strong)

3 kinds of mole on one plate, yum! 

--------BUCKTOWN/WICKERPARK FOOD TOUR--------- 

And then we also went on a food tour put on by Chicago Food Planet, 

George's Classic Chicago Style Hotdog

Frozen 'Hot Chocolate' with handmade marshmallows from Mindy's Hot Chocolate

Another stop on the food tour was a local brewpub/pizza joint called Piece.  

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 Last day before we hit O' Hare airport for our flights home found this great breakfast place and chowed down on some good stuff. 

Waffle filled waffle, at Yolk! 

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Ya'll it's a miracle I didn't gain any weight because we did THAT much walking. 

The food, was delicious. 

Stay tuned for part two of Chicago! 

Do you follow me on IG and TW ?

There are many reasons why I've grown to love IG and TW but in the blog world it is the easiest way for me to keep up with all of you throughout the day, I've also found it to be a great way to get to each of you better. 

If you don't follow me on Instagram or Twitter, check me out!

You'll basically see a lot of Anna Belle, food, my travels, and funny work problems unique to a woman working in construction. 

But to be honest you'll see mostly Anna Belle... 

So if you like a sassy post rescue boxador dreams come true.. than you'll love my feed. 

Favorite Beauty Products

Let's face it - not every blogger has piles of cash to spend on the best of everything like vacations, clothes and beauty products. 

I have my items (like mascara) that I'm willing to splurge because the product is that above the rest and others I have found great reasonably priced items. 

Up & Up Face Scrubs

I trade back and forth between these two from Target because the apricot is much more coarse that the brightening scrub.  

Up & Up Face Lotion

Love this stuff from Target it's a knock off Aveeno with SPF that is not greasy at all with a little SPF. 

Blinc Mascara

This baby is worth the $ at Sephora. It leaves no black eye and lasts all day, doesn't rub off if you touch your eyes during the day which is great for contact wearers like myself. Plenty of volume! 

Elf SPF 20 Tinted Moisturizer 

I don't need a heavy foundation so this cheap ELF product is perfect from Target plus it has additional SPF.

Ivory Original Body Wash

My skin does NOT like the smell good stuff, AT ALL. Red bumpy nasty results led me on the search for something that wouldn't make me break out. This simple clean wash comes in an aloe version as well - both are amazing. 

Burt's Bees Replenishing Balm

Has pomegranate in it - there is no BB balm like this one. It is the only balm I an use that doesn't dry out my lips. 

What are some of your favorites?