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Floradise

A lifestyle blog by Marette Flora

Summer Stroll at the Chicago Botanic Garden

 

 

If you’re ever going through a stressful time, a walk around the Chicago Botanic Garden might be in order. I was overwhelmed and emotional recently, and I finally asked for help. My mother-in-law drove to Chicago to spend a week with us helping in any way she could. And boy did she help. She worked on our yard. She took the girls to the park so I could get work done or shower. She helped feed and take care of both of them. She helped Graham empty and clean our old apartment so he could turn over the keys. And most importantly she was there for us as emotional support. On one of her last days here we decided to thank her with a trip to the Chicago Botanic Garden. She is a garden and nature lover (It runs in the Flora family!), so we knew she would be in heaven.

 

It happened to be the most perfect summer day for a family walk. I had only ever visited the garden during the fall and I enjoyed seeing it in a different yet just as colorful season. Lately I have been gathering ideas from all sorts of sources on how to update my front and back yards as well as my home. The Chicago Botanic Garden is the perfect place to get that inspiration.

I felt right at home in the cactus greenhouse, one of several greenhouses at the garden. V, who is herself an Arizona girl like me, was right at home, too.

I fit right in walking around another greenhouse with my palm print shorts.

We had lunch at the cafe in between exploring Chicago Botanic Garden. I gobbled up a garden burger in 10 seconds flat. It was delicious!

We let the garden paths led us around to our next discovery. V wanted to carry around our map, which we didn’t really use. After walking around for what seemed like miles, we made a pit stop in the gift shop, where my sweet mother-in-law bought us a pineapple plant to add to our collection. She really is an angel.

 

I think after this visit the garden became my favorite place in the Chicago area. Honestly, I could share about a hundred more photos of this place, but you should really just experience it for yourself. And lucky for me we liver closer to it now that we bought our home.

Chicago Botanic Garden has free admission but parking is $20 or more. It’s definitely worth it!

Have you been to the Chicago Botanic Garden?

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Night of 1,000 Jack-O’-Lanterns
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Shedd Aquarium With a Newborn & Toddler

 

Mother’s Day was a month after Adelina was born. I wasn’t in the mood to do much, to be honest. The thought of going anywhere, especially a crowded place, with a newborn and a toddler terrified me. How would I ever leave the house? My mom was in town, though, and Graham encouraged me to take her somewhere for a fun girls day out while he had to work. We chose Shedd Aquarium for our Mother’s Day outing because we hadn’t been there in quite a while and it would keep V entertained.

I bought our general admission tickets online so that we wouldn’t have to wait in line when we arrived. I also purchased parking from the closest lot I could find, which was the Adler Planetarium lot. From there it’s a short walk to the aquarium. I carried Addi in my Baby K’tan and V walked. You could easily bring in a stoller or wagon and enter through the accessible entrance, though. (If it’s crowded it’s not as easy to get around with a stroller. Plus, you have to wait for the elevators to be available when you have a stroller.)

To get your show tickets, simply go to the kiosks (next to Soundings cafe) and pick your times. It’s best to do this as soon as you get there. We were able to choose the 2:30 time for which we sat down 15 minutes early to get decent seats.

One thing I was nervous about was nursing in public. I pumped and brought with me a bottle for Addi but I also used the nursing room at the aquarium. The family restroom and the nursing room are found off the main lobby to the right. I wished Shedd Aquarium would have more family bathrooms vs. just having changing tables in each bathroom, especially when you have more than one kid to take to the restroom. Also, I waited 20 minutes for a family to exit the one restroom. While the nursing room is available, the Shedd website encourages moms to nurse wherever they feel comfortable at the aquarium.

For lunch, my mom and I enjoyed huge piles of veggies nachos at the Bubble Net food court while V had a broccoli cheddar soup. I didn’t have the motivation or energy to pack our own lunch, but you could always bring your own food and eat in on the terrace with views of Chicago as your backdrop.

There’s so much to see at the aquarium that you could easily spend a whole day there. I liked the addition of sculptures throughout the facility that were made with plastic found in the ocean.

 

Overall we had a successful outing with A & V and I was grateful to spend time with my mom on Mother’s Day. Her help was much appreciated!

Related posts:

Shedd Aquarium With a Toddler
A Day at Shedd Aquarium

How Decluttering Led to Our Family Fondue Night Tradition

While decluttering in the kitchen recently I came across our fondue set. We purchased it for $6 at a yard sale six years ago and had never used it. Ever. It didn’t cost a fortune, so why were we holding onto it? I said to Graham that we needed to either use or donate it. I was sick of it taking up space for no reason. His response was to start doing fondue nights! We picked Sundays because it helps combat the Sunday Scaries.

We picked up our fondue supplies and prepped our little feast! Our fondue night picks:

  • Peeps (We’ll use marshmallows after Easter season)
  • Pretzels
  • Strawberries
  • Bananas
  • Cinnamon (or regular) graham crackers
  • Rice Krispies Treats
  • Chocolate straws

My favorite was dipping the Rice Krispies Treats, but I also really enjoyed making s’mores out of a chocolate-dipped Peep and a graham cracker. YUM!

The point of this post is to share how decluttering has helped me think about what has a purpose or meaning in my home, as well as discover new traditions! Fondue night is now something I look forward to rather than dreading the conclusion of the weekend. The fondue set went from being a waste of space to a tool we use to make memories together and taste some delicious treats.

Have you discovered or rediscovered something you love through decluttering?

You can find great recipes and product reviews from our friends at the Village Bakery.

Related posts:

Decluttering Update/Items I Regret Buying
End-of-Summer Cleaning/Decluttering List

Cheap Family-Friendly Things to Do in San Francisco

I hadn’t been to the Bay Area since I was a child, so when my great aunt hinted that we should visit, I jumped at the chance. I really don’t know why it’s been this long since I reconnected with my family in the Oakland and Union City area, but I’m glad I finally took the opportunity. It was also a perfect time for Victoria to meet family members she had never met before, like her great, great grandfather!  In just one short weekend we were able to see and do so much in San Francisco. We did splurge on a couple of meals, but mostly our trip was affordable. We found that San Francisco has plenty of things you can do without spending a lot of money. The most costly expenses were typically parking (if you wanted to be close to the attraction) and dining. Luckily my great aunt hosted us so we didn’t have to pay for lodging and our flights were purchased with credits we had from canceling our Puerto Rico trip last year. Today I’m sharing cheap family-friendly things to do in San Francisco!

Cheap things to do in the Bay Area with kids:

  • Visit Ghirardelli Square and get your free sample. We also purchased chocolate but you can save by sticking to the samples.

  • Drive or walk down Lombard Street (the Crooked Street).

  • Walk through Boudin Museum. See how the sourdough is made!

  • Walk around Pier 39, soak in the view of Alcatraz and say hello to the seals. Take in the street performances at Fisherman’s Wharf. We paid $10 to ride the carousel at the pier.

  • See the view of the Golden Gate Bridge and the city from the Marin Headlands. Drive, walk or ride a bike across the Golden Gate Bridge.

  • Picnic at Golden Gate Park. We stopped to admire the bison. I loved people-watching as people ran, walked, and just hung out.

  • Hike Muir Woods. (You do have to pay admission, but kids age 15 and younger enter free. Save by bringing your food and taking the shuttle or carpooling.)

Muir Woods National Monument

  • Search for the Full House facade house. I had no idea this was a different house than the Painted Lady, but it was cool to see.

  • Hang out Alamo Square in front of the Painted Ladies. We visited the city on an absolutely gorgeous weekend. People brought their snacks and drinks and took in the views from the park.

  • Walk around Chinatown. You don’t need to buy anything, just take in the sights, sounds and smells. We visited before the new year; it would have been nice to catch the celebrations.

Have you visited San Francisco? Also, are you a “Full House” fan? I pretty much had the theme song in my head the entire time.

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Great Falls Park | Virginia Trip

Great Falls Park, Virginia

We spent much of our time catching up and eating when I visited my friend Charlsy in Virginia earlier this month, but we also did some exploring in the area, including visiting Great Falls Park on the last day of my weekend trip. Great Falls Park was an easy and less than 30 minute drive from Alexandria on the beautiful George Washington Memorial Parkway.

Drive to Great Falls Park

It was a peaceful and scenic drive to the park, with one exception. We saw a near collision between a semi and what we thought was a hawk, which certainly got our hearts racing as we pulled into the Great Falls parking area. It was intense! By the way, the fee for parking/admission was $10.

It was a gorgeous, sunny day to walk along the trails and see the powerful Potomac River rushing below us. Great Falls Park separates Virginia and Maryland, and you can see beautiful fall foliage on either side. You can hear the power of the water, and you’ll see many signs warning you not to try to swim in it.

Great Falls Park, VirginiaGreat Falls Park, Virginia Great Falls Park, Virginia Great Falls Park, Virginia

Our walk was an easy stroll, but you can make the hike what you want. We stopped at the different viewpoints for photos and to take in the scenery. We even saw a brave soul rappelling. It’s also a good idea to bring along snacks or a picnic lunch!

Great Falls Park, Virginia Great Falls Park, Virginia

Great Falls Park makes a fun and quick day trip if you’re in the D.C. area and want to do more than visit national monuments. On our way back we stopped for ramen at Jinya in Fairfax, a perfect sendoff from my trip.

Have you visited Great Falls Park in Virginia?

Related post:

D.C./Virginia Eats | Vegetarian and Pescatarian Options

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Sunday Funday at Jump! Zone | Chicago

Sundays have been family-fun days recently. However, we have been limited to indoor activities lately because Chicago has decided to be Chiberia again. Yesterday we checked out Jump! Zone in Niles (north of Chicago), a facility full of inflatables for kids to play on. Victoria was in heaven and we were happy to keep her entertained and active.

One minor gripe: The place was difficult to find. The directions kept being rerouted on Google maps, and it looked like we were being taken to a warehouse and not a family play center. Jump! Zone is in the back of a large industrial building and has small signs; we had been on the right track all along.

If you end up finding it, you’ll pay $11 for each child. (Parents don’t pay, which is nice, but you also don’t jump. The kid in me wanted to jump, too!) Victoria, at 2, was one of the smaller kids, but she seemed to enjoy most of the inflatables. We shared many laughs as she fearlessly took on the slides the older kids had taken over. I slightly worried about kids who were jumping from inflatable to inflatable and climbing all over the place, but luckily we didn’t have any incidents. Hooray!

We had a nice little outing before family dinner and frozen yogurt nearby. I love our family days!

How did you spend your Sunday?


Phoenix Eats: Pure Sushi

One of the best parts about visiting my old Phoenix neighborhood is seeing it grow from when we lived there. It was already becoming a dining hot spot when we moved to Chicago in 2015, and even more change has come about since then. One of the newest restaurants I’ve tried is Pure Sushi at the Colony development near Seventh Street and Missouri in Phoenix. It’s next to the Herb Box and Stock and Stable, which I’ve visited in previous Phoenix trips. Pure Sushi was next on the list because it serves one of our favorite foods.

The restaurant was quiet early on a Friday night. We ordered just three rolls to try, because we weren’t terribly hungry. We tried two signature rolls and one spicy tuna. The presentation was nice, but I couldn’t help but compare the sushi negatively with the place we regularly go to in Chicago. The local spot in Rogers Park, Chicago, is so much better, in case you were wondering.

Signature rolls were $13 and up, while the spicy tuna was $6. Signature drinks were about $13, while my glass of Riesling was $9, slightly more than I am used to paying. It was delicious, though. I wanted to try the Patron Margarita, but part of me felt like that was an odd pairing with sushi. Riesling might have been just as odd, though, so what do I know?
Pure Sushi didn’t blow my socks off, at least these three rolls didn’t, but I would revisit to try more rolls and because I don’t know of many other sushi places nearby besides Stingray Sushi at the Biltmore shopping center on 24th Street and Camelback Road, where we used to get sushi when we lived in Phoenix. Actually, there are more sushi places, but not many catering to this clientele that prefers a trendier setting. 
What delicious restaurant have you tried recently? What did you think? Share with me in the comments!

A Phoenix Hike

Dreamy Draw Recreation Area

The No. 1 activity I had planned during our weekend in Phoenix was a hike, even if it wasn’t too challenging or long. I longed for the Phoenix sunshine, especially as we made our way to the Chicago airport with a real feel in the negative digits. I didn’t pack any jackets or sweaters for Phoenix, which was wishful thinking considering it does get chilly in the mornings and evenings. I ended up wearing Graham’s Cubs hoodie or his jackets when I couldn’t take the desert “cold.” Victoria spent some time with her great-grandma while Graham and I took a quick trip to the Dreamy Draw Recreation Area, our old stomping grounds. It’s not the most impressive mountain area to hike, like Camelback Mountain or Piestewa Peak, but it was our hiking spot. It’s also huge, you could spend all day or multiple days exploring the vast network of trails, which are shared among hikers, dog walkers, mountain bikers and horseback riders. We would hike here frequently when we lived in Phoenix, usually during summer storms. We called ourselves storm chasers, in fact.

We went to our old sunset-viewing area during the early afternoon to get a glimpse of the city. We were also treated to a coyote sighting.

I was quite comfortable and cool in my new workout gear, which was a Christmas gift from my older sister. She knows the way to a fitness lover’s heart! Plus, all I ever want for the holiday is athletic wear to help me reach my goals. She bought me an outfit from Fabletics** in my favorite color, purple.

Fabletics is offering a first outfit for $10 until Jan. 10, 2017. **
The tank has side band detail.
Took this photo of the back of the tank after the hike.

The top is the Theresa Tunic Tank, which covers your assets, if you know what I mean. I appreciate that because sometimes I feel self-conscious when I wear athleisure clothing out and about. This tank is a little longer on me because I have a short torso, but I think it would be flattering on many body types. Also, this would be ideal for yoga, because during certain poses your top tends to move about and expose your midriff, and this could help with that. It’s a racerback tank as well.

The print on the leggings is my favorite. It’s called the Metallic Pebble print, but it reminds me of my cosmic inspired Brooks Adrenaline GTS 17 running shoes, which I wore for the hike. The size small leggings fit perfectly.

Shop my Fabletics outfit **

Glenwood Avenue Arts Fest Haul

I had one of those perfect Chicago summer weekends. I don’t know how I’ll top it. First, I love spotting the blooms in the neighborhood.

Also, Graham’s parents visited us on Saturday and we had a wonderful time catching up. Once our visitors left, Graham and I walked to the Glenwood Avenue Arts Festival to check out the vendors. Last year we purchased a couple of art prints and some natural skin products, along with the most delicious frozen sangria drink I’ve ever had.

This year, we wanted to shop different local vendors to spread the love. We typically walk around the entire length of the market before committing to a purchase. We passed by a van that we thought was a nice concept for a shop, so we stepped inside. I purchased two soy candles in tiny glasses that happened to be on sale. I also liked a T-shirt that said “Chicago love” but it was only available in kids sizing. (The designer has women’s online.)

Two new candles in our living room.

T-shirt by Megan Lee Designs.

On the way out I noticed a natural skin care booth, so I picked up natural deodorant that has a lovely coconut scent.

Graham gravitates toward anything to do with plants, and he immediately purchased a little cottage with a living moss roof from another seller. It, too, was a great deal.

We noticed the storm was about to hit, so I quickly browsed a booth that should all things wood. I saw a lovely bird-cage ornament with a red bird and I had to get it. Graham and I collect ornaments from places we go, and this would be ours to represent Rogers Park, our neighborhood. We probably would have bought more had it not started storming.

Events such as the Glenwood Ave. Arts Fest make me proud to live in this diverse and accepting neighborhood.

Watch my video below and subscribe to my channel if you haven’t already!

Last year’s recap: Glenwood Avenue Arts Fest 2015

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