Two alliterative dinners in a row, I’m a lucky girl! It started off as a really long day.  I rolled out of bed right into my laptop and caught up with wedding plans and updated the GoChicago feeds.  By the time I looked up, it was already 10a and I still wanted to get a run in before I met Margaret  of MallNetworks for lunch in Lexington.  (A string of alliterations!)

It all got done though, and lunch turned out to be more social, less business, so it was really enjoyable.  After lunch, I headed up to Burlington Mall, which didn’t live quite up to expectations in terms of stores, but blew the scale when it came to shopping finds.  Because it was such a standard mall, I wandered into “Everything but Water,” a store full of nothing but skimpy bathing suits.  I knew I wanted something new for Kauaii, but I wasn’t at the point where I was confident enough in my body to buy something.  But, I was so bored and had enough time to kill that I went on in.  I grabbed a bunch of suits that I never would have tried on before and headed for the dressing rooms.  Disposable panties on, I pulled on the first deep turquoise number.  It had a flirty little skirt on it with gathered hems, and a twisted bandeau top.  I couldn’t believe it, but it really made the most out of my body.  It was, honestly, love at first sight despite the large bottoms and small top.  Buoyed by the find, I started poking about for a cover up.  The sales lady encouraged me to try on a couple Trina Turks, a brand I often eye, but never buy.  Bright patterns, bold cuts, assertive and colorful.  Probably the antithesis of my natural persona.  But, one of the cover ups was so cute.  White background, tropical pattern, comfortable, cute and sexy…and $170.  I totally bought it.  I justified it by saying that I didn’t get myself the fancy Blahniks I wanted, and that I picked up the Vacation Rental Pros gig, so I deserved the treat.  Five hours later, I’m still so glad that I have a tissue wrapped treat snuggled in my luggage, along with the perfect turquoise bikini. Read the rest of this entry →

Sitting in room 141 at the Sheraton in Needham, MA.  Right off the freeway in the middle of absolutely nothing.  Around the corner is Restaurant Depot, which appears to be a distribution center lined with big rigs.  (What is it about me picking hotels surrounded by truckers?)

It’s not a great hotel, but at least there’s a fitness center, and that’s what counts.  Plus, it’s close to my meeting in Lexington tomorrow.

Got up at 4:30a this morning, so tired I probably should have just poured coffee straight into my eyeballs.  Showered, drove to O’Hare, parked, trained and planed.  I have been really lucky with parking today.  In the economy lot, I landed a sweet spot right by the train.  In Boston, an unheard of metered spot on Newbury St, right in front of “Chillin with my Gnomies.”  And for dinner?  A spot a mere block away from Jo Jo TaiPei, my new happy Chinese home in Boston.

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