Chicago - Tourist tips

Hi there!

So it's time for the last post about Chicago, for this time. Since we got to Chicago on an impulse, we didn't know much about the town before we got there. In this post I want to share some of the things we learned and might be useful tips for a visitor.

Airport transfer

When we got to the airport we asked for the best way to get into city center and was recommended to take a shuttle bus. For $46 we got to go with a mini-bus that left us just outside the hotel entry. It took quite a long time (close to 1,5h) because of the trafic, and we had to sit stocked up with a few strangers, but it was still perfect for a first time visitor that didn't know where to find the hotel.

On the way back to the airport we realized how much better the train was. It took about 40 minutes and costed us in total $6. The walk from our hotel was just 10 minutes long, so we saved both time and money. At the hotel they asked us if we wanted them to call a taxi and when we told them we wanted to take the train they just said "Smart move". It's quite easy to get stuck in traffic during rush hour.

Next time we go to Chicago we will skip the shuttle and just take the train. Especially since we now have a clue about the city and isn't completely lost when we arrive.

Shopping

If you, like me, are used to European (not to say Scandinavian) prices the shopping is great. Both Macy's and Nordstroms was like heaven to me! The have just about everything you might need, good prices to start with and quite a lot of sales.

If you are from abroad and shop at Macy's you can ask for a discount card at the information desk, and show your ID-card. This gives you 10% off, which covers the taxes.

If you have a day to spend, I would really recommend to go to the Fashion Outlet (read previous post) It's impossible to leave without a great deal!

Sightseeing

Since we didn't have much time, we didn't do much sightseeing, but we did take a stroll in Millennium Park which was quite an experience. The modern art was really cool!

A walk down to the pier to watch the skyline in sunset is also highly recommended. It was so beautiful, and powerful, for someone coming from a little town like me.

If we would have had one more day, we would like to go on a guided boat tour around the town as well. It seemed like a really nice thing to do. Next time, Chicago!

Other

If you haven't checked out The Cheesecake factory, do so! Yummy!

Bring a pair of good walking shoes, because it's really easy to get around by foot. And don't forget a jacket! Chicago is called the windy city, so even when the sun is shining the air can feel quite cold.

Don't come with full bags. If you like shopping you will need as much space as possible. Just bring the most important stuff!

So what do you think? Is Chicago a place you would want to visit?


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Fashion Outlet of Chicago

When we decided to go to USA we were recommended to go to a Premium outlet. We had our eyes on one in San Francisco, but since we didn't end up there we had to rethink that plan. We asked our friend Google if he knew a place in Chicago and was told to go to Aurora. Good thing, we thought, but wasn't sure how to get there. We found a tourist information and went in to ask for help. The lady we met told us that they had opened up an outlet center close to the airport, and that it was a lot easier to go to than the one in Aurora. The center was called Fashion outlets of Chicago, which is why we didn't find it googeling Premium outlets.

From city center we took the train from Clark Lane to O'Hare, and a shuttle bus to the outlet. When we got back home we found out that you could take the train to Rosemont instead and get a free shuttle. We paid about $20 for our shuttle.

The center has 130 stores, which is quite a lot compared to the malls I'm used to at home. And the prices are not to talk about. USA is really cheap compared to Sweden to start with, and with all these sales I can tell you I was in heaven!

To give you a hint about the prices in USA compared to Sweden, I bought a shirt for my brother that he has been looking at here. I didn't buy it at the outlet, and it wasn't on sale, but still it was less than half price of what I would have to pay here.

When we arrived we went to the information desk because we wanted to buy Green Saving cards with additional discounts. As we told them we were from Sweden we got the cards for free (instead of $5/each) if we could show our ID-cards, proving we were visitors. Most discouts were something like "additional 10% off if you shop for $100". We did use quite a lot of those discounts, so they would have payed off, even if we hadn't got them for free.

We arrived around 11a.m. and left after 6p.m. And we did some great findings! Brands that I would never be able to buy at home, to prices that I usually spend. US Polo and Calvin Klein became the stores that we opened up our wallets to the most. Did some fantastic deals there. If I did have to pick my absolute favorite from the outlet I think it would be my DKNY "cozy", a cardigan that you can wrap in several different ways. Original price on the price tag was $175, I paid around $50, including taxes.

We found the center big enough to have everything we wanted, but not too big so we were able to check out all the stores and still go back if we realized we missed something. There was a big food court so it wasn't any trouble finding a place to sit when you needed a break.

We would really recommend going to this outlet center, especially if you're used to European prizes. Keep in mind though, that this is the first one I visit and have nothing really to compare with. We will for sure go back there next time we go to Chicago.

 

 

 

Yesterday's shopping

Woke up 6:02 this morning, trying to turn off my alarm clock. Turned out it wasn't the alarm, but the phone ringing. My boss called telling me she was sick and asked me to start working earlier. I said good bye to my short day and went in for the longest day possible, opening till closing. I also get to go in a few hours earlier tomorrow. But the work I do now will pay off before I go to London and that thought makes it a lot easier. And besides, I do like my job so even if it's a lot right now, I do have a lot of fun doing it as well.

As promised, pictures of some of the shopping I did yesterday. The clothes didn't look as good on a hanger, so they might show up on outfit posts in the future.

Can't just pass Lush without a visit. I've wanted to try the lip scrub for a while to see if it's worth the hype. Also found a T for toes, which I think might be good since I wear shoes for hours every day. It's supposed to be good for abrasions and with new shoes I hope that will be helpful. 

A friend to my sister has the luxury to work at Lush and treated us with a test on the cleanser Let the good times roll. The look and the smell makes it feel like you scrub your face with cookie dough. Leaves the skin nice and smooth! 

This Saturday I went to a dinner with my friend who's moving now. While I was waiting for her I stopped by a store and fell in love with this bag. Yesterday when I got back to have a second look at it they had 10% off. Not much, but I chose to see it as a sign and that we were meant to be.

Got some essentials with nail polish remover, cleanser and a base coat from IsaDora. I also had to try their new gel lacquer, which I'm very excited to try. That was a project for this morning, but I never really got the time. I'll save it for tomorrow night. 

Last but not least, two pairs of shoes. Think they both will be good for work, since they don't have high heels, but still aren't completely flat. Also I wanted something comfortable without and still a bit classy looking. The shoes at the bottom seemed perfect for that! The sandals were mostly because they had an offer to buy one pair and get the second pair for half price. I really do like the wedge heel because that makes them nice to walk in and would be good at work as well, now that the spring and summer is approaching.

That's it for tonight. Hope to be able to catch up on all the blogs I've missed tomorrow!

A day off

Hey guys!

So last week was insanely busy as well, with work, work, dinner with friends and extra work. Never thought today would come, but it did and I got my day off. The weather has been a amazing the whole weekend and today I got the chance to enjoy it. I decided to bring my sister to the city.

We had a great day, eating lunch by the canal, doing some spring shopping, trying out a FroYo place we've never visited. Back at home I took the doggie out for a long walk in the sun, just enjoying the weather. Wish I could have another day off tomorrow, but then it's back to work again.

I must say I'm so happy to read all your nice comments here, and it really inspiring me to get back on track again. That is the main reason I'm jumping in with a short post now, even though I won't be able to show what was in my shopping bags until tomorrow. But at least I know what to do next! I'm also very excited to try, and review, one of the things in the bag. As if that wasn't enough I got the new topic for Bloggers Do It better, and I think I have a plan for that one already to publish next week. I'm full of inspiration again, so hopefully I'll be back on a more regular basis again soon.

Bright sun called for the big sunglasses. 

Come back tomorrow to find out what's
inside the bags. 

First order from Feel Unique

A good thing about living in Europe is that you can order from companies in EU without paying extra duty fees (something you always have to be prepared for if you order from outside EU). About two weeks ago I placed an order from Feel Unique, since they are from the UK I didn't think twice about it. What I didn't know is that the Channel Islands are not included in this tax area (or whatever they call it) and that Feel Unique sends their orders from one of these islands. It was a not so pleasant surprise to get that yellow letter in the mail box telling me I had a parcel to pick up, among with a bill for tax and service charge. I paid less than 300 SEK ($46, £28) for my order, and the bill was for another 174 SEK ($27, £16). On top of this I got an e-mail saying they had 25% off the items I had ordered, just the day after I got the confirmation of dispatched order. I sure hope the products are worth the extra money!

The things I ordered was from Tanya Burr's lips and nails. Two lip glosses and a nail polish for me, and a nail polish for my sister. I'm really excited to try these, since I've heard so much good about them. Besides I think Tanya is so lovely I would have needed to try them even if the reviews weren't so good. I will write my own thoughts about them as soon as I've had time to try them properly. Soon it's time to run off to work again. Just today and tomorrow left before I'll have a few days off. Can't wait!

Just to be clear, I'm not in any way dissatisfied with the service from Feel Unique, just the fact that I was so unlucky in this case. All though I think it would be great if they stated their location a bit clearer in the shipping details. I can not be the only one who has experienced this.

Lip glosses in Picnic in the Park and Aurora

Nail Polish in Mini Marshmallow

New to my fragrance collection

Hey guys!

The sun is shining brightly, and I'm soon about to go to work again. For not being supposed to work full time it feels like I do nothing but work at the moment. But tomorrow, finally, I have a day off and as that wasn't enough the football season starts as well! Feels like I've been waiting forever for that!

Yesterday I got the opportunity to buy some perfumes for half price of the store price. That's something I love, but tend to not buy since they are quite expensive. I fell for three smells that I brought home. (Unfortunately one of them wasn't the same as the one I was smelling in the store, but when I got over the disappointment I grew to like the one I got as well. Lesson learned; Look at the bottle and not just at the box the bottle's in when you smell a test.)

Downtown from Calvin Klein -  I actually tried this one in store a couple of weeks ago. I liked it, but decided to walk around in it for a couple of hours to see if I would feel comfortable in it (which I always do if I'm about to pay full price for a perfume). I did love it, but the shopping spree took another turn and we never got back to the store again. I've been looking for it since! (It must be faith that brought it to me to a much lower price)

The perfume is described sophisticated and feminine, with a confident edge. I could buy that perfume from just that description.

Notes: Neroli Tunisia, Fresh Green Pear, Watery Plum, Gardenia Petals, Pink Peppercorn, Violet Leaf, Texan Cedarwood, Vetiver, Benzoin Laos Orpur, Musks. 

Si from Gioirgio Armani - My all time favorite perfume (so far) is Diamonds from Armani. I still do have some of that left, but want to buy a new one. They didn't have that one where I got these perfumes, but my attention was instantly drawn to others from the same brand. I fell for this one and asked my mother to smell it. The reaction was instant: "Take it! It smells like you" Said and done, the perfume went into the basket.

When I was googeling this perfume to find out how it's described I noticed that the opinions on this one seems to bee really different! Some really hates it, some loves it. I guess it's one of those fragrances that actually comes off really different depending on the person wearing it.

The descriptions I found tends to relate it as an irresistible combination of grace, strength and independent spirit.

Notes: Blackcurrant nectar, modern chypre and blond wood musk with freesia and May rose.

Pure DKNY - This was the smell I think I got wrong. When I came home it smelled a lot like rose, and that is not a smell I'm usually really comfortable wearing. Too flowery scents just doesn't feel like me. Since I wasn't going anywhere I decided to try it on and see what it was like. Maybe I could figure out who to give it to... But I grew to like it and think it will be a nice fragrance for summer.

This one is described as straight forward but soft, sober and easy. A wonderful garden rose, without the heaviness of the garden rose. This is sounds like a pretty good explanation of why I like it even though it's not what I normally falls for.

Notes: Turkish rose, blackcurrant, magnolia, cedar, verbena and vanilla

Have you ever used any of these fragrances? Do you like them?

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Bling for spring

Hey there!

I was planning to buy an iPhone case in Thailand, but everyone I found that I liked was for 5/5s and I have a 4, so that didn't happen. Good thing we have eBay, because you can pretty much find everything there. I found one quite similar to some of my favorites in Thailand, so I just had to get it. Yesterday it came with the mail, and I was more than happy with what it looks like.

It's very springy and very blingy. You should see how it sparkles in life. It's the perfect case for a five year old (or someone that just loves sparkles, like me) And it rattles when you shake it, so you can use it as an instrument if you shake it in pace with music. Yep, I'm easily entertained. Isn't it lovely?

Don't forget to join my giveaway. Winners will be announced tomorrow so you need to hurry up a bit!

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New in - Rituals

Hey!

As I mentioned in the previous  post I didn't just buy shoes the other day. I found a few more things than that, most of them in one of my favorite stores at the moment - Rituals. They opened up at our shopping center i November last year, so they are quite new to the team. First thing I love about Rituals is that you always feel so special when you're in there. The employees are really helpful and you get offered a cup of tea when you get in. If you let them help you with what products to buy they always offer to show and demonstrate them. This time they demonstrated a salt scrub and followed up with a nice body cream. Them gently scrubbing my hand while I was drinking a cup of tea felt like a tiny spa treatment before work. 

I ended up with quite a big bag when I left the store, and products worth a lot more than I payed. This month our shopping center has collected offers from almost every store into an app. At Rituals you could get three items and pay for two.

I have used their fragrance sticks since the beginning of December, and I really love the fresh and clean smell. I bought the mini version, and it was starting to run low now. Since I had the great offer I decided to buy the big refill bottle. I'll probably last all year with this one! I use the Lotus Secret with scent of white lotus and Yi Yi Ren

I have one of their salt scrubs already, but I really like it and thought that this was a great opportunity to stock up with one more. This time I went for Himalaya Wisdome with Holy Basil and Organic Fresh Mint. With that one I went for the Honey Touch Body Cream with Indian Rose and Himalaya Honey. This was the products she used on my hand and it smelled amazing all day and the hand got so soft. (The body cream was the product I got for free in the 3 for 2 offer)

Since I was buying other stuff I was offered to buy the Hammam Olive Secret Shower Paste with Refreshing Eucalyptus and Organic Olive to a reduced price. I already have the salt scrub in that series so I thought they would be good to use together. 

If you bought other things for over 400 SEK ($62 or £38) you got the Happy Mist for free. I did buy that much, so I did get the mist for free. It's a fragrance mist is a light bed and body mist, so you can use it for pretty much everything since it doesn't leave stains. So far I've only used to spray on the bed, and it smells heavenly on the pillows. 

Have you ever tried any of Rituals products? What are your thoughts! 

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New in - Shoes

I had a short day at work the other day, so my mother and sister came to the shopping center where I work for a little shopping spree, with the main goal to find birthday presents to my dad. I ended up buying nothing to him and few things for myself. (Don't worry, I gave him a homemade gift card for a concert so it wasn't an empty handed birthday.)

Since I've been working quite a lot this week, and will run of to work again soon, I haven't had time to take pictures of everything yet, so I'll just split it up into more than one post.

Today I want to show you a pair of shoes I found. I mostly just wear black shoes (if it's not converse), but I've been walking past this for a few days now and haven't been able to get them of my mind. Not only that I think they look gorgeous by themselves, just look how great they look with the bag I got in Thailand!

I found the shoes in the Swedish shoe store Din Sko (which means Your Shoe). They were on sale for 199 SEK (about $31 or £19). Very good price if you ask me!

I just couldn't help it...

I have a day of from work, so me and my sister went to the city. I was going to pick up my season ticket for football (or soccer if you prefer that, but I'll stick to using football). Picking up that little card, with all the expectations it brings, is one of the best days of the year for me. Almost like Christmas!

When that was done we went to have some lunch and then do some shopping. I had decided to buy the lip scrub from Lush. We don't have Lush at the shopping center where I work, so I don't get the opportunity to go there very often. Guess what they told me when I got there? "They are sold out, but we'll get new ones tomorrow." Imagine the disappointment! How can they not have a single one? I would have taken any taste! Hope I can find some time to go back soon!

I wasn't supposed to buy anything else, but as usual I couldn't keep my fingers away from some things. And when I think about it, I really needed new jeans, so I had a good reason. At least for one of the things I got.

The shoes are from Din Sko (Swedish shoe store) Everything else is from Gina Tricot. The socks were a free gift since I'm half way through a stamp card. Check out the closeup on the nail polish! Isn't it awesome?

Ooops!

I was planning to save money for a while now after the trip, but when I got back to work I was told that the Topshop store at our shopping center is closing. It wasn't optional to skip their sale, so it wasn't my fault! There wasn't much things left, but I did find a lovely sweater and some nice jewelry so I was happy!

Thailand Shopping

Hey there!

So as you may have figured I did quite a lot of shopping in Thailand. I decided to make two Youtube-hauls, one for beauty products and one for clothes, shoes and such. I couldn't show everything there, so I'm making this blog post as wall to show you everything else. What's posted here is not in the videos and the things in the videos are not shown here, so make sure to watch all of them if you want to see everything.

I will make a post with links to the hauls as soon as they are uploaded on Youtube.

This is what my bed looked like when I spread everything out

All of my Maybelline Baby Lips. 80-90 Baht each

100 baht for all

1. 150 baht 2. 79 baht 3. Free gift 4. Free gift. 5. 199 baht 6. 69 baht

1. 59 baht 2.199 baht 3. 59 baht 4+5. 59 baht 6. 150 baht 7. 49 baht
8.199 baht 9. 44 baht 10+11. 49 baht 12. 60 baht

1. 60 baht 2. 45 baht 3. 120 baht 4. 200 baht 5. 60 baht
6. 25 baht/each 7. 90 baht

1. 45 baht 2. 159 baht 3. 60 baht. 4. 60 baht 5. 30 baht 6. 60 baht
7. 60 baht 8. 200 baht

1. 19 baht 2. 19 baht 3. Four for 100 baht 3. Two for 60 baht

1. 60 baht 2. 22 baht 3. 27 baht 4. 60 baht 5. 60 baht 6. 21 baht

First day of shopping

Hi there!

Today was the first day of shopping for me and sis here in Hua hin. We went to the Market Village. We had lunch there yesterday, so we knew there were some things we wanted to have a look at. Before we went I had head that Thailand is cheap, but that things have become more expensive the past few years, so my expectations was cheap, but not too extremely cheap. But it's insane! A few times we asked each other "Is this really right?" and some times we even asked for the price on marked things because we didn't really believe in the price tag. 

This is a sneak peek of today's shopping. I plan to do a summary, either in a blog post or as a Youtube video, when I get back home. So stay tuned if you want to see everything close up and know the prices (as far as I can remember then).

A parcel from the States

Hi again,

When I got home today there was a parcel waiting for me outside the door. As I may have mentioned in a previous post, I work in a store that sells underwear. It's easy to get your favorites, but in a small country as Sweden the range of products isn't as large as if you give a look to the west. When I found some of my absolute favorites in colors that is not available here, me and my colleagues had to try them out and today they were delivered.

Two of my favorite brands are Calvin Klein and Elle MacPherson Intimates. If you, like me, need a quite small size around the back but a larger cup EMI is top notch. Before I came across EMI i thought that these sizes were only made in practical and basic garments. Now I can get a steady and comfortable bra, with gorgeous designs and other colors than white, black and beige!

Calvin Klein is not to think about if you have a fuller bust, but the Bottoms Up hipsters are to die for. They are very comfy and have no thick seams so there won't be much visible lines under tight pieces of clothing. Not to mention the AWESOME colors, new ones to arrive all the time. The colors I found this time is so me, so I just couldn't leave the page without making sure I  got some in the shopping trolley.

Welcome home!

He's here!! My brother finally came home with the camera. It's a Canon Ixus 125hs. I really look forward to get to know this new kid of mine. Can't wait for the battery to load so I can start using it. Wish I had a few days of from work, just to play with it.

Canon Ixus 125hs (picture taken with iPhone)