#she can fund things or donate ya know lol

[sunscess]

" are you certain this is what you want? "

@batcaller liked for a one-liner starter

[woodsfae]

The really ugh-it’s-at-my-fingertips thing about this idea that’s been gripping me is… I’m only two degrees of separation away from her. My friend knows a person (through work) who communicated with Mackenzie Scott when she donated 5 mil to their org. (Maybe three degrees, if she didn’t communicate with the organization personally) But it’s not like I can be like “hey can you email your contact at XYZ nonprofit and ask her to email Mackenzie Scott on my behalf?” lol

So the thought lingers. There are so many groups that do amazing work but are so, so small and local there’s no way she’ll hear about them unless there’s people specifically scouting small, local groups. In my research on her I discovered that she’s mostly donated to groups she’s previously interacted with in some way. And when you’ve lived much of your adult life in the upper echelons of society, you’re not going to have socially interacted with the founder of a tiny community land trust in Montana, ya know? Or perhaps to even have community land trusts on your radar.

tl;dr, Mackenzie Scott wants to give away her money. That’s great. But she’s donating to mostly large groups that she’s already familiar with. I wanna write funding proposals for mostly small, local groups doing great work with almost no resources. I’ve tried to make the world a better place. I’ve tried organizing. I’ve tried grassroots campaigns. I’ve co-founded groups and organizations. I’ve organized policy campaigns. And the thing I beat my head against over and over and over again is really one thing: limited access to funding.

How do I get Mackenzie Scott to hire me as one of her causes-finding & vetting people? Because I have thoughts and the ability to type proposals very very quickly.

[urulxce-a]

          NEXT TWO MAJOR ARCS.

arc #1: ryan’s rise to fame.

okay so up to this point, ryan has his major novel series ( lol actually a ‘’’’fictional’’’’ fantasy story about his past life aka my novel??? ) out -- well, the first book at least + some poetry + and maybe even a couple of short stories. It’s the best thing about owning / running his own publishing company ---------- he gets to publish his own work + have his own editor whenever he wants. when he slips into his coma, someone attempts to take over his company, and it kind of turns #shady there for the seven months Ry is K.O.ed. when he wakes up forever, you can bet ur ass that he’s pissed and also confused because all of a sudden people are recognizing him on the streets? people are wanting his autograph and are in love with his stories? anyway it starts bringing him in money he doesn’t need lol. literally like 90% of the money he makes off his books he puts in a fund for his daughter or he donates to charity. random kid on the street: i am $100,000 in debt. ry: lol i got u boo. no but fr ---- ya boy’s getting famous. this can be implemented into threads. it’s going to get interesting because Ry ---- well, famous people don’t exactly have privacy and ry’s childhood was so awful + he’s got pyrokinesis ( not to mention he’s a mf-ing dragon ) so we’ll see if that ever gets uncovered and if the government ( his mother ) is able to cover it up in time or if ryan’s true nature will be brought to light bc shit might go down at that point. ryan’s definitely no tolkien or rowling or anyone who is so well known that their name just becomes a common thing everyone knows, but is definitely on --- say ---- christopher pa olini’s level of fame.

arc #2: necromancers on earth.

vaashkír coming and healing ry + turning him into a dragon created a ripple --- an explosion of nebulas and stars and suns throughout the universe that kind of --- alerted the lich to ryan’s presence. the lich wants all dragons #deadaf because of what they did to his people (oops spoiler), and thought he had rid himself of Ryan ( Dûrion ) and thus Vaashkír when he killed him. when he gets wind that Dûrion reincarnated into the Ryan Grayson we know and love today, and that Vaas has his own body now, well ------- he’s not too happy about it. Let’s just say Earth gets an abundance of necromancers ( færscur is a distant planet, probably in the andromeda galaxy, my attempt at mixing fantasy with sci-fi ; instead of onion layer multi-dimensions, færscur is just a far off planet that exists and space travel is easy for some ). Ry doesn’t know why people are suddenly showing up to try to kill him ( two attempts in a week?? what is going on??? ) only that he doesn’t really fear for himself but rather his daughter and them trying to use her to draw him out. security around him and molly are increased and it’s unlikely ryan is without his bodyguard. if he’s in a relationship with someone, they’ve got a bodyguard too. It isn’t until months later he finds out what’s going on and tries to deal with it accordingly. It doesn’t help that he’s a well known guy; he might have to (((: go into hiding (((((: if he does, riley will get possession of the company, and he will have rachel in assisting him ( his other sister - non-biological - who has the ability to teleport anywhere she’s seen ) in moving around.

[ghost-town-story]

Chuck inadvertently introduced me to Dance Gavin Dance.

Freshman year. Winter show. Dry tech. Tech invited me to go with him and Chuck to get food between dry tech and cue to cue, and I accepted.

On the way back, Chuck and Tech are talking music. I’m in the back, a quiet, shy wallflower next to these older frat boys. Chuck mentions Bring Me the Horizon. I know them, surprisingly! He plays a song of theirs for Tech (who, as far as I could tell, at the time had more of a poppy, alternative taste in music). Chuck scrolls through Spotify. “Huh. I haven’t heard this song by Dance Gavin Dance. And man is that one hell of a song title.” 

He hits play. I’m silently like “eh not my cup of tea” until Tilian (tho I didn’t know his name at the time) really gets going. And I like his voice. So I note down the song title. Chucky vs. The Giant Tortoise. And I listen to it. And it grows on me.

The next week, Chuck offers me a ride home from rehearsal. Just me and him (no, get yo minds out of the gutter). “By the way,” Chuck says. “I’m gonna get people to nominate Tech for the shameless flirt award. You know, cause of what happened at the cast party. But I figured I would give you a heads up, since, ya know, it involves you a bit.” “It’s fine.” I laugh a little (It really wasn’t fine, that whole situation at the time. But it is now.) “It’s a good idea. I like it.”  “About the cast party. That’s what college is about. Making mistakes. So don’t be afraid to make mistakes, okay kid? Not that i’m calling him a mistake. Please don’t tell him I said that. He might take it the wrong way.”  “I won’t,” I promise, and I keep my word and more, not telling anybody about our conversation, other than a ranting poem I write maybe a few weeks later about Tech that features Chuck, and a post on my writing blog two-and-a-half years after the fact (that’s dis guis!). And I thank him for the ride as we reach my dorm and I get out.

I really got into All Time Low my senior year of high school. I’d always liked Coffee Shop Soundtrack and Weightless since I’d heard a cover band play them, but I never knew they were ATL until much later. 

Fall of freshman year of college, I have about $60 in iTunes gift cards. I buy a bunch of ATL and Sleeping with Sirens albums and listen to them as I’m walking around campus.

One day during tech, Chuck asks me what I’m listening to. I show him the song (if I had to guess with my shitty memory, probably from the ATL Future Hearts album). Chuck laughs and calls to Tech. “Hey Tech, she’s more punk than you!” 

Two years later, I look at that blur of a memory, at the little note I wrote myself saying “So apparently liking All Time Low makes me punk? Ok Chuck lol”. I look at my music library, now composed of Sleeping with Sirens and Bring Me the Horizon and Dance Gavin Dance and Tilian’s solo work, ONE OK ROCK and Beartooth and Crown the Empire and Pierce the Veil, and of course the ever present, always loved and obsessed All Time Low. I look at my hair, shaved on one side (though growing out for the summer), I look at my plans for tattoos and more piercings. And I laugh. 

Maybe you could see the future Chuck. Because I’d say I’m more punk now than I was two years ago. 

Fall of sophomore year. Screw and I walk into Chava’s, holding hands and flirty and newly dating. Chuck is graduated, but back visiting before he’s off on his next adventure. We stop by his table and chat, he notices us being coupley, and is like, “Aww, how cute.” He turns to me. “Don’t hurt the moneymaker,” he teases, referring to Screw’s face. 

We chat for a while longer. Chuck is moving to Alabama with his girlfriend. He’s excited to go, to get his girlfriend away from what sounds like a not-entirely ideal family situation. From what I hear, he’s so in love.

Every once in a while, his girlfriend posts something on Facebook, tagging him in it. It’s an occasional glimpse to see, oh, he’s alive and doing well. 

Chuck seems like the quiet type on Facebook. I am too. I don’t blame him.

Wednesday, August 7, 2019. My roommate texts me.

“So. This just happened.” Followed by a link. I follow it to a GoFundMe page. 

There’s a picture of Chuck. The GoFundMe is asking for donations for his medical fund. “Shit,” I think, “is he sick?” I scroll down, hoping for more information. 

On Sunday, August 4, 2019, Chuck was shot in the Dayton, Ohio shooting. He’s still alive.

In the time that I’m reading, my roommate follows up with “Well, not like just happened. But I just got sent the link.” My only response is “shit” She agrees with me. It sinks in even further. “holy shit”

Completely separate, Screw asks me how I’m doing. He knows Chuck from theater, just like me. He doesn’t know what I know. “well” In the time it takes for me to type out the rest of my response, Screw replies “oh no” “I just found out chuck was in the dayton shooting” “what” I send him the link. “My roommate just sent me this” “Fuck” I agree. All I can do is curse in disbelief.

My mom calls me. “So, I just saw this thing on Facebook--” I cut her off. “Yeah, I know.” “Did you know him?” Why else would I know about the GoFundMe? “Yes.” My voice shakes. I’m starting to barely cry. All I can give her are monosyllabic answers. 

And all I can think of is that it isn’t fucking fair.

Chuck lives in Alabama. He and his girlfriend were in the Midwest visiting family and friends. It was pure fucking chance they were there, in a city they don’t live in, on the night somebody decided to go shooting. How is that in any fucking way fair?

Chuck is still alive. According to the updates I’ve seen from his girlfriend, he’s doing alright. Still in the hospital, but looking like he’ll pull through. 

And I’m pissed off that this happened, that some random stranger shot and injured Chuck. Chuck, the friendly giant (to somebody my size), that weird brand of crazy my school’s theater attracts, one hell of a partier, and one hell of a protective mom friend. Just. What the fuck. 

And I’m just sitting here with no idea what to do. I’m angry and upset and scared and there’s nothing I can fucking do. I’m twenty and mostly through an engineering degree and there’s nothing I can fucking do. I wish this never happened. I can’t change the past. I never want this to happen again. I know with sick certainty, that unless something changes, and fast, it will happen again. I’m pissed off and so fucking scared and I want to change this whole stupid, violent world, and I’m stuck in nowhere Minnesota, with no feasible way of doing so. 

This is a rant blog at times

So I guess I’m just ranting about how Chuck was so kind and friendly, taking a small, shy freshman girl under his wing, even if it was for only two quarters, inadvertently introducing her to one of her favorite bands, having such an influence in such a short time. 

And I’m ranting because there’s not a whole lot else I can do. Not as far as I can see.

Fuck this.

[gleefail]

Glee Memories: 1x9 Wheels

A long, long time ago, as Glee was approaching graduation in Season 3, I found myself nostalgic with some rare free time on my hands. So I decided to rewatch the series from the beginning and jot down some memories, discrepancies that have arisen since, fave quotes, tally solos - all that good stuff, strictly for shits and giggles.

8 years later (eek!) and once more I find myself with an unexpected abundance of free time. With so many revisiting or being newly introduced to the show between binge watching during Quarantine and all the tragedy that has surrounded the show since it went off the air, I figured I’d finish what I started. And by finish, I mean go through the end of S3. Cause I truly cannot acknowledge what happened after that. Except for 5B.

Kicking this off by reposting the first 15 episodes I already went through. Enjoy!

1x9 Wheels I haven’t addressed yet that this voice-over “Here’s what you missed on Glee” guy is different…will be interesting to see when they changed it.

um…when did Kurt tell everyone that he was gay? Didn’t he only come out to Mercedes and his dad so far? I definitely missed that on Glee

Holy crap. I forgot about this Cheerios jump rope number.

This is when I started not liking S1 Quinn. When she started being just plain mean to Finn even as she lied to him about the baby being his. Uncalled for. Although her calling out that he’s a peabrain is hella-necessary.

Figgins can’t pay for a bus for Artie to get to sectionals. Understandable? Is that like, legal?

Makes total sense that Sue has boosters that provide funds for traveling etc. Doesn’t make sense that the Glee club never started music boosters….not to me anyways.

Will’s right. In high school, some of the best trips were rides to other schools for volleyball games and showchoir competitions together. Although that almost always involved people mooning out the back window. And getting to third base under letterman jackets. Just my school? Anyone else?

Aw…Tina is looking at Artie from afar…not necessarily romantically…concerned? Whatever the reason, it’s cute.

Aw, Kurt’s so excited about Defying Gravity

let the record show, Mr. Schue just handed a solo to Rachel for a competition for the first time ever. But not the last. Don’t get me started.

“Don’t worry. We’ll find something for you to…dip in chocolate” Two things: 1. Yes you will. And his name is Sam Evans. (’wanky’). 2. No, you won’t Mr. Schue. No. You. Won’t. #oops

“I mean, bake sales are kind of bourgee” “So hip people stopped eating delicious, sugary treats?” “It’s not that, it’s that most of us don’t know how to bake. I find recipes confusing.” I love every moment of this exchange. And

Britany’s officially not all there now. :) Yaaaay!

Aw, poor Artie and the peer pressure of having to say he doesn’t mind when he’s clearly hurt by people he thinks are his friends. Poor guy.

It really does impress me how Kevin McHale manages to completely lose use of his legs. Even when he’s boppin in his wheelchair. I don’t think I could do it.

Jenna Ushkowitz is flat out adorable laughing at her lunch table in slow motion.

Aw Tina. These original members really do all have a lil special place in my heart. Before RIB screwed most of them over.

Ruh roh, I know that look. Mr. Schue is getting an idea watching Artie jamming around in his wheelchair…

Why is Kurt wearing a gangsta bandana on his head?

“But I’m happy to have you try out something else, Kurt. And I’ll make sure it’s got a killer high note” No. No, you won’t Schue. Ugh. Three seasons of empty promises and he won Teacher of the Year? Riiiight.

“Well, you’re irritating most of the time but…don’t take that personally”

“Preach!” Yes!!! There’s the Artie I know and love! It makes me giggle more seeing moments like this knowing he asks Amber to show him how to do it, lol.

hahahahaha – Finn just got hit in the back of the head with someone’s baseball bat! Rachel just got her lunch spilled all over her! Oh, happiness.

“it’s what I have left of my pool cleaning money. After I bought dip and numchucks” 

Quinn is so pretty in regular clothes with her hair down in season one. I would buy that THIS is the girl everyone wants to be. She’s totes that popular, bitchy girl who has everything.

“It would be pretty awesome if it came out with a Mohawk”

Aw, this food fight is still so cute. I feel like we haven’t seen Quinn laugh like that since until she was going up that ramp with Artie cheering her on. So cute.

“It’s not about a guy, is it? Cause…I’m not ready to have that conversation.” “At least you don’t have to worry about me getting someone pregnant” snicker snicker. True dat.

“You sing like a girl – in a good way”

So…yeah, they were doing Defying Gravity for Sectionals…what happened to that?

FIRST APPEARANCE OF LAUREN ZIZES!!!

Ugh. So stupid Rachel is complaining about having to audition for a solo. It’s showchoir. You should have to audition for EVERY solo and anyone who wants to can. …but it’s Glee

“We all know I’m more popular than Rachel – and I dress better than her…”

“Your right hand, Britany” *Santana whispers to her “it’s this one”* Yup. Not all there. There’s mah girl!

I love that instead of saying “I promise to vote for whoever sings the song better”, Mercedes blatantly says to Kurt “I promise to vote FOR YOU” with a big smile. I love Kurtcedes. Have I said that yet?

“Maybe one of these days you’ll find a way to create teaching moments without ruining my life.” Oh he will Rachel. He’ll just ruin everyone else’s.

“Those are what I call ‘lazy makers’”

Figgins is making Sue hold auditions to replace Quinn on the Cheerios. How do they not try out in the first place?

“and as soon as a cheerleader rolls herself out onto the field in a wheelchair she becomes decidedly less effective at cheering people up. It’s just a fact.”

“Stop attacking me. I’m sick of it” I like this Finn. Where did he come from? And where did he go?

I never ever ever realized that that was Kurt auditioning for the Cheerios with a baton. OMG!

haha, also never realized that the “freak” did the splits and clearly landed on his junk but tried to play it like he was fine. HAAAAA!

“Becky, I’m gonna stop you right there. You’re in.” YAY!

“I’m just saying, she has a point; you are kind of an idiot.” Truth.com, Puck.

“It’s just like you, with your stutter” Tina’s reaction said it all. “But I wanna be very clear: I still have the use of my penis.” HAAAAAAA!!! And Artie’s “why did I say that?!” look afterwards. Golden.

Kurt warming up to a high F while Burt gets the “your son’s a fag” phone call. So damn sad.

“Sometimes I just…I wish your mom was still around, y’know?” Aw, Burt. So happy you’ll find Carol.

“I don’t wanna win out of charity. I wanna win the solo because it’s right for the club. I really think that the judges at Sectionals will find a female version of Defying Gravity much more accessible.” Lies and manipulation and selfishness of Rachel Berry. And it begins.

“People just don’t like me.” “Yeah, you might wanna work on that” Yup. You might, Rachel. Too bad ya never really did unless it was to benefit you. hahaha, Puck put a lil pot in the cupcakes. I totally forgot about that. omg. There’s a loooot of flannel in that lunch room. What is that about?

Haha. Puck buying pot from Sandy. “The doctor said the shark fractured my spinal cord.” “This is why I don’t go to the aquarium.”

Sue’s mean don’t discriminate because of handicap, gender, religion, or sexual preference.

“You think this is hard? Try auditioning for Baywatch and being told they’re going in a different direction. THAT was hard.” Truth.

“Oh, I bully everyone, William. That’s the way I roll”

First official Diva-off!! I remember I soooo wanted Kurt to win, but it was all over his face that something was up ever since Burt told him about that phone call.

First sacrifice for Rachel Berry. Go.

Even back then when I liked Rachel Berry, I didn’t like her singing this song. I think my dislike of her started right around here. Like “who does she think she is, trying to sing this song better than Idina, when she knows damn well, coming from Broadway, who Idina is!?” that was me, lol. My point is I still don’t like her on this song. It has a special place in my heart and I need more of a powerhouse on it, and someone whose soul I can hear when they sing it, not just trying to sing pretty.

“’It’ is a ‘she’.” That’s a cute moment. :)

Ok. Ohhhhh boy. Finn got a job by pretending to be handicapped and stuck in a wheelchair. But wasn’t it Finn that 2 seasons later berates Quinn for not announcing that she’s improved to now be able to stand/walk to get votes for Prom Queen? I just…I refrain from comment. It’ll get ugly.

Aw, Artie is donating the money to get a ramp put in the auditorium instead of using it to get a bus to go to Sectionals with everyone. Way to take one for the team, Artie. He’s a good guy.

Sue donated the $600 to rent the bus for Sectionals. Aw. I knew something was up at that point. Lies. I knew something was up when she told Will “You don’t know the FIRST thing about me.”

Aw, Jean. This relationship was so sweet.

AWWWWW – Artie’s face after Tina kisses him!!!

Aw. Artie’s face after Tina admits that she’s faking her stutter. :(

“I’m sorry now you get to be normal and I’m gonna be stuck in this chair for the rest of my life. And that’s not something I can fake.” Aw, man. So sad.

“I’m just saying that I love you more than I love being a star.” Oh Kurt. You little angel.

Ok. There are no words for how I felt when I found out Glee was doing Proud Mary. Here’s the thing: Me and my theatre friends always go to karaoke and take turns singing this song. And then the rest of us kinda flash mob it and rush the stage once the tempo picks up in synchronized back-up dancing. And it’s the highlight of our night and the best tradition when we can get everyone together to do it. Once people came up and asked if we were some group of performers that the bar hired to come do it. It’s soooo much fun. It has such a special place in my heart. I do it now for warm-ups with my high school kids when we need to unwind. And I always use this Glee version. Cause I loves Amber Riley and Kevin McHale and Jenna Ushkowitz on it. Things like this are what make me sad that Glee-ers are graduating more than missing the show itself or the writing; the memories made along the way. And the things like this that just make me smile.

Lol, one of my friends loved the duplicity of them singing this. Cause it was ‘rollin’ for Artie and ‘Mary’ for Kurt. He was gay, so I guess he was allowed to say things like that cause he owned it, lol.

This number is so effing awesome. And the costumes and hair are super cute.

I love the behind the scenes of this where Cory talks about when Amber fell out of her wheelchair and he just heard a crash followed  by incessant laughing. SOLOS: Artie (2), Rachel (1), Kurt (1), Mercedes (1), Tina (1)

[homestylesdecor]

The Ultimate Guide To Vintage Shopping In Chicago

When it comes to vintage shopping in Chicago, you can shop til you drop, take a disco nap, rally and shop some more. It's also safe to say I shop for vintage…a lot, and therefore I receive quite a few emails that go something like this: “Hey Kyla, I'm visiting Chicago, and I was hoping you'd share some of you favorite places to shop vintage.” Of course I oblige. Shopping for vintage is my jam.

Now, before you bombard my inbox asking to be sent the coveted, super secret list, keep on reading this post, then promptly bookmark, save  to Pinterest, and engrain it in your brain because today I'm sharing the mother of all lists…House Of Hipsters ultimate guide to vintage shopping in Chicago and surrounding suburbs!

MORE AFTER THE JUMP…

Some people like to keep their vintage sources on the DL, but e-ghads! What fun is that? As my ride or die gal Marianne says, “there will always be more vintage”. I guess that is what makes her such a great thrifting buddy. Back in 2014, (lawdy how has it been that long ago?), I wrote a post about vintage shopping in Chicago, but after looking back on it, realized just how out of date the information was.

Let's get started with my favorite vintage shops in Chicago and then we can move our way out to the burbs. Yup, told ya this is the mutha load, trash to treasure list. Buckle down the chin strap and hold on. Here we go!

BROWNSTONE 5234 N Clark St, Chicago Blink and you'll miss it. Brownstone is located in Andersonville, right next to Tilly's…one of my favorite places to shop for vintage jewelry (more on Tilly's below). This place is a pickers dream and and OCD clean freak's nightmare. Piles of vintage precariously stacked on top of piles of antique furniture. If you have time to wander and don't mind a dig, you'll surely find a few treasures.

One thing to beware of, every time I go in, I don't get all the feels. What does that mean? No one is super friendly, but walking in knowing that, you might be pleasantly surprised if you actually receive a hello LOL. So why do I shop here when I don't feel all that welcomed? The prices keep me coming back for more.

BROWN ELEPHANT RESALE SHOP 5404 N Clark St, Chicago Although I don't shop here as much as I'd like, every time I stop in there's something different. You walk in through a large hallway and round the corner to vintage heaven. You'll find some Mid-Century Modern furniture, killer vintage clothing (look closely and you'll find some high end designer pieces), home decor, and art. What's even more amazing is that all the proceeds benefit the LGBTQ health and fund care for the uninsured at Howard Brown Health in Chicago. FYI, if you're looking to donate gently used items, this is a great place to do so.

BEEHIVE CHICAGO 2501 W Chicago Ave, Chicago A great little gem of a shop with treasures galore! This space is a shared showroom and workspace for many local Chicago vintage dealers. With home decor a plenty, you won't leave empty handed, and I guarantee you'll be back for more. You'll also find some great vintage fashion and jewelry. Last time I visited, I was greeted by a pair of stunning Maitland Smith tessellated stone side tables and MCM loungers.

DIAL M FOR MODERN 1136 N. Milwaukee Ave, Chicago If you love Mid-Century Modern decor, this Chicago vintage shop is for you! Find classic Milo Baughman chairs mixed in with quirky and fun 70s funk. Tim (the owner – and also one of the nicest people on the planet) just moved the shop to a new space…which I have yet to see…but I've heard it's killer cool. He has a great eye for incredible furniture and if you live near by and ask pretty please, Tim will usually help get that chair delivered to your home. One thing to beware of though, if something catches your eye, jump on it. Superb quality and fair prices has furniture flying out the door.

LAZY DOG ANTIQUE STORE 1903 W Belmont Ave, Chicago This vintage shop has been on my hot list for a few months. New to me, I stumbled upon Lazy Dog via Instagram and have yet to shop this place in person, but because I've purchased from here online, I still  wanted to include it. Loads of drool worthy MCM furniture, killer barware and home decor…plus vintage jewelry. If you get there before me, please report back and tell me what you think.

THE SAVOY FLEA 2621 W Grand Ave, Chicago Like I said above, Marianne (the owner of The Savoy Flea) is my ride or die BVB – Best Vintage Buddy. Her shop is open by appointment only, but don't be intimidated by that. When I first visited this studio, I thought “open by appointment only” meant this shop will be way too damn expensive. Quite the contrary. Marianne is out and about scouring the universe for new vintage treasure for the studio. And if you've

When arriving, be on the look out for a plain white warehouse with zero signage. Told ya it was a hidden treasure. Park in the driveway and if the main door is locked, text, call, or ring the doorbell. After making your way passed pallets of movie props, you'll see a set of double doors. Prepare yourself for an eclectic mix of Parisian Chic, Art Deco and Hollywood Regency glam.

STEPHANIE SCHOFIELD 2621 W Grand Ave, Chicago Walk towards the back of the studio at The Savoy Flea, and you'll find Steph Schofield's Chicago location. Steph has this  is a secret source to some seriously famous designers which is probably why her other showroom is in High Point, NC. Yes, I spotted Carson Kressley shopping at the HP location last Spring.

Steph has an eye for unique, one-of-a-kind, unexpected finds you may never see again. Her pieces are 1st Dibs level yet completely obtainable, and most of the time, surprisingly affordable. She was recently featured in Domino magazine and gave a pro tip to vintage shopping, “When I'm trying to decide whether or not to buy something, I visualize tv he piece in a space. Almost anything can be cool in the right context.”

SOUTH LOOP LOFT 685 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago This is the place for one-of-a-kind vintage statement pieces for your home. South Loop Loft recently moved, and the new space is a showstopper. Cheap? Absolutely not. This is not a store for pickers. However, if you're design obsessed and looking to add some wow factor, South Loop Loft is the place to go. Just be prepared to covet everything. The space is so inspirational and the lighting is on fleek.  There's a reason South Loop Loft was featured in Elle Decor.

STRANGELOVELY 2511 W North Ave, Chicago Keep your eyes peeled for a shop window that reads, North Avenue Collective. This is where you'll find Strangelovely. I'm not quite sure how to describe Kim's style…maybe funky, glam granny? Is that a style? First and foremost, if you're looking for a killer Chesterfield sofa or wingback chair, Strangelovely is the place to find it. While wandering around this gorgeous shop, be sure to look down. The rugs are on fleek! Because Kim shares this space with Hopscotch & Soda (vintage clothing), the place feels more like what you want Anthropologie to be. Carefully curated real vintage.

TILLY'S 5232 N Clark St, Chicago Tilly's might me the smallest shop on this list, but the amount of merchandise is overwhelming! If you're into vintage jewelry, handbags and clothing, you must stop in. It's packed to the gills with haute vintage couture and beautifully curated jewelry. Side note, the earrings I wore to meet the creators of Consort Furniture…the guys want to make sconces out of my earrings from Tilly's…ya, incredible finds. Not quite sure where to start, ask the shop's owner Susan Lynch. She basically gives you a once over and starts pulling pieces she knows will fit.

VINTAGE QUEST 1105 N California Ave, Chicago This tiny shop sits in between Strangelovely and the Savoy Flea, so if you're going to either shop, make sure to stop into Vintage Quest. It's a small shop that packs a serious punch. Upon arrival, you're going to think to yourself, Kyla, you sent me to a cross between a man cave and Wisconsin bar. But humor me and have a looksy…yes, that IS a Milo Baughman chair…yes, that IS a DIA swivel table…yes, that is a Togo sectional…and yes, that IS the price.

WOOLLY MAMMOTH 1513 W Foster Ave, Chicago Are you looking for something ultra weird? Victorian hair jewelry? A painting by serial killer John Wayne Gacy? How about a shrunken head…ummm, yes, it's real. I've only stopped into Woolly Mammoth a few times, but if I'm looking for oddities, this is THE place. It's right down the street from Brownstone, The Brown Elephant , and Scout, and it definitely marches to its own beat when it comes to vintage shopping. Word to the wise, you might want to sage yourself on the way out. LOL.

Phew! You still with me? If you are, then you shall be rewarded with a few antique malls, favorite flea markets AND a couple super secret burb locations I only share with nearest and dearest…yup, you're that special.

EDGEWATER ANTIQUE MALL 6314 N Broadway St, Chicago If you're into Mid-Century Modern and Industrial, this is the place to be. Lots of small booths made up of about 40 local vintage dealers. You'll find everything from chairs to doll arms here. As with any antique mall, the prices aren't picker prices, but everything is still quite affordable.

BROADWAY ANTIQUE MALL 6130 N Broadway St, Chicago If you're a vintage shopping local, you probably refer to Broadway Antique Mall as BAM. It's larger than Edgewater, and right down the street, so I usually stop into both when I'm in the area. The front area is mostly glass cases…I cruise through there fairly quick and wander to the left. There's where you'll find booths and nooks where individual sellers can set up vignettes. You'll find vintage cameras, globes, vases, ashtrays, old photos, maybe a pinball machine or two…I also tend to giggle in the aisle of “old porn”. Don't forget to go upstairs. They have a nice selection of MCM furniture.

HERITAGE TRAIL ANTIQUE MALL 410 Ridge Rd, Wilmette, IL See, I told you we'd hit the burbs! Over on Chicago's North Shore, there's a great antique mall in Wilmette. Again, this is a mall, so you will not find picker prices. But what you will find are tons of bonkers good vintage that is highly curated. No doll parts here. One of my favorite booth owners is a shop by the name of Redefined Decor. They carry some of the most eclectic and coveted pieces in the mall and have a couple of booths in the space.

Be sure to head upstairs where you'll find even more awesome. A couple of my other favorite booths belong to PeAk Stuff Vintage and Scene Vintage. I'm constantly watching these Instagram accounts for new arrivals.

BTDubs, Redefined also has a studio in Chicago's West Town neighborhood that I really need to visit one of these days (it's near The Savoy Flea in case you're looking to hit two birds with one stone). You can check out some of the inventory here.

VOLO ANTIQUE MALL 27640 Volo Village Rd., Volo, IL If you want to kill a day antiquing, this is your one stop shop. Just a few miles away from the Wisconsin border sits 4 large buildings chucked full of pretty much everything and anything you can image. Over 400 local dealers in multi level barns. Volo is not highly curated, but you will find anything from formal antiques to Mid-Century retro to mantiques to industrial to primitives to collectibles.

Because this place is so vast, you have to checkout in each building…meaning don't carry items from mall 1 into mall 2. I tend to find quite a lot here, so I start piles at each checkout counter. The very last building sits over a garage filled with vintage cars and tends to have a strong odor of gasoline which gives me a headache…so I tend to skip that particular building. Oh, and one other thing to mention, if you get hungry, head over to Fratellos for lunch and a lemonade.

Ready for some fleas?

KANE COUNTY FLEA MARKET The first weekend of every month is the Kane County Flea Market. You'll walk through barns and buildings full of primitives and mostly traditional antiques. It's massive. You'll also find shabby chic crafts and handmade items…along with some tube socks. Because I'm more of a Mid-Century glam gal, this is not my favorite flea, but I do tend to walk away with some vintage items. Be sure to dress for dust and dirt…this flea is held at a traditional fairgrounds.

GRAYSLAKE FLEA MARKET The Grayslake flea is held the second weekend of every month, and many times it is themed. I just happened to go to the MCM themed weekend and can I just say that flea was on fire! This happens to be one of my favorite fleas…mainly because it's small and low key. It also helps that it's minutes away from my house. So what do I mean by low key? When I go to a a flea in the city, almost everyone is dressed to impress. Grayslake I could walk in my jammies and no one would bat an eye. Also, every once is so nice. No one is pushing past you trying to get to something first…it's just very chill.

WOLFF'S FLEA – ROSEMONT If you've ever driven down the Kennedy Expressway on a Sunday during the summer, you've probably seen the flea in Rosemont at All State Arena. Because this flea is held in a parking lot on blacktop in summer heat, it can be absolutely brutal. The vintage shopping can be very hit or miss depending on the weather, so I usually keep my eye on their Facebook page. Don't miss the farmer's market section of this flea. The plants and produce do not disappoint.

RANDOLPH STREET MARKET There's nothing more unique than antiquing in an open air market in downtown Chicago, and Randolph Street Market takes party to another level. This flea is one of my favorite haunts for vintage shopping in Chicago. Every time I leave, my car is packed to the gills with treasures and I venture home with a smile on my face. In fact, I would say it's a bucket list flea.  You're going to find a highly curated group of vendors selling quality over quantity.

It's also one of my favorite fleas to attend especially during the summer months. Why? Well, the parking lot of course…and no, I don't mean for my car (they have a valet service for that). During the months of May – September Randolph shows shows off some srsly jazzy furniture in the parking lot and pack it full of food trucks, live music, fresh roast coffee and my favorite part…booze. Yes, the mimosas are flowing at this vintage bonanza. This flea is held every 4th Saturday and Sunday of the month and is not to be missed.

Now, for my super secret local shops. The antique shops in Barrington where I live and are near and dear to my heart. This quiet little town is becoming more and more a hub for antiquing. In fact, I'm marking my calendar for this event in September.

PINK GERANIUM 829 W Northwest Hwy, Barrington While driving down Northwest Hwy, on the other side of the Metra tracks is is Marble and Granite warehouse…and on Thursday – Saturday, you'll see a tiny hot pink sign. Crank that wheel, cross the tracks and turn right. You've arrived at Pink Geranium.

Treasures upon treasures, nicely curated. You won't find piles of furniture, but there's still plenty to look at. The owner Katie and her staff are sooooooo incredibly nice, and they usually have a treat or tiny snack at the checkout counter. I usually pop in once a month, and never leave disappointed. This place is a gem.

STEEPLECHASE ANTIQUES When we were looking for a home I spied with my little eye a sign that said “antiques”. MY PEOPLE!!!!! Steeplechase was the first local antique store I visited after the move, and I've made quite a few purchases since that day. In fact, the owner Karrin took me under her wing a bit after I lost my job. For a few months, I helped her style the shop…I don't think she will ever know how much she helped me mentally. I cherish her friendship.

Okay, enough with the mushy stuff…Karrin curates antiques…no MCM here. Lots of wood and brown tones. When I was styling, it felt like all these beautiful pieces were growing up, and out of a beautiful garden of ivy and topiaries. Beautifully patinated wood tables, oversized urns, trophies, trunks, books, and old leather furniture. Her store has this look that's stunning and ever changing. Yep, she's one popular lady and flips that store pretty much every week. So if you see something you like, you better snap it up, or it'll be gone in a flash.

FRIENDS OF PEPPER ROAD The 10 major antique shops (including Steeplechase and Pink Geranium) in Barrington teamed up, and they host open house events. Every 4-6 weeks, they stay open late, and vintage shoppers can make the rounds, store to store. It's so much fun. A couple that I like to pop my head into are The English Daisy and Winterberry.

PARIS MARKET ANTIQUES Last one…and this shop I have to thank Karrin for or I'd never know it was here. Back behind Jewel is the Icehouse Mall…this is also where we had our first Thanksgiving in Barrington…cuz I know you really needed to know that. Anyhoo, wander down the hall of this building and you'll stumble upon Paris Market Antiques…and it's huge…and packed. I've only been there once, but I think the people who own it, also own a local estate sale company. Which makes sense with the inventory size…but don't quote me on it. It's hidden, quiet, and a total and complete gem of a find.

  // <![CDATA[ (function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){i['GoogleAnalyticsObject']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){ (i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o), m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m) })(window,document,'script','//www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js','ga'); ga('create', 'UA-46448269-1', 'auto'); ga('send', 'pageview'); // ]]>

  The post The Ultimate Guide To Vintage Shopping In Chicago appeared first on House Of Hipsters.

[whatcannotbeconquered]

ASB 2017

It says it feels like -2 degrees here but at some point the cold is just the cold!!

I will be the first to say that I was wrong about what this past week was going to be about. To start, I had a bad attitude in the beginning of the week. All i wanted to do was go home, be with my sisters and my mom and my dad and my grammy and just be happy, relaxed, and helpful at home. Every time we did a group activity or I had an awkward conversation with someone, I regretted coming on this trip and wasting $400 of my parents money and $400 of my money. It felt like I couldn’t really be good friends with anyone there. Then we were assigned rooms and I found myself judging the girl sleeping next to me in her matching pajamas, her quiet/sad voice, and the fact that she was picking at her shoulder while we were in the same bed together (ya idk about this last part cuz im still a lil shook lol). Then I heard we weren’t going to be building at all during the week. We got two days at the beach on Saturday and Sunday yet we were being thanked and congratulated for giving up our spring break to be in Florida, when in reality we were basically paying for a group vacation. Every time it seemed like the chaperones were wasting our money or taking us somewhere we didn’t want to go, I got the worst attitude and acted like this was the worst experience of my life. HOWEVER...

This was such a great week that I think will really impact me as a person. And that is why I’m writing right now. So that I don’t forget what I saw and what I heard and what I felt this past week.

On Monday we worked at a Restore for three hours. To be honest, the work wasn’t that fun and a lot of people would complain the minute they got hungry or when they were bored. Oh how noble it is that we’re dedicating 3 hours of our day and then sitting on a beach the rest of the day...yeah idk about that. But we did meet a family that night who is about to start on their house and it was cool to see what kind of people are moving into these homes and why they need them. This family lived in a mobile home in a bad area and the mom said she can’t let her daughter play outside because she’s worried about what could happen to her. Then came Tuesday. We started the day at a house dedication for Habitat which was one of my favorite experiences of the week. Seeing what comes out of all of the hard work and money that goes into Habitat was so crazy. The fact that so many different people and organizations help fund this dream was so awesome. That the family would get a full kitchen of kitchen tools and food was so great. Tuesday night we did the back to back drawing which was fun with Rachel. 

Then came my favorite day, Wednesday. We worked at an environmental center where we got to use clippers and a machete to clean up a trail the center had in the back. Then we weeded with a girl with a great taste in music which was cool. It was also awesome to see how much passion Kristie, the leader here, had for these non-invasive, natural plants and it was cool to see the behind the scenes of the places that donate to Habitat.

Wednesday night was the highlight of this trip, however. We started by watching a Ted Talk about the danger of the single story. It was about a Nigerian girl who was single storied by her American roommate and who single storied a poor boy who worked for her. After seeing the Ted Talk, the leaders opened up the floor to anyone who wanted to share a story of what they’ve gone through so that people don’t single story them. I thought this would be incredibly awkward since no one said much at all in the beginning. We listened to Lauren tell a story about bullying which helped start it off, but then more and more people would share. I found that I single storied a lot of the people there, without even knowing it. I thought one girl was not a more reserved rich girl from New England when in reality she has two adopted brothers who have gone through a lot. I found out that she has to take care of them all the time at home and that she had to give up her own time to take care of them. This is easily why she sort of seemed like a boring mom at times. Another girl who kind of always shied away from the group told us about how she was kicked out of her mom and dad’s houses and had to live with her boyfriend. Also that she was in the hospital for a month last semester and had to take a semester off of school. That when she went to bed early, it was because she has to take care of her health first. I thought she was sad and homesick like I was earlier in the week, or she just didn’t like hanging out with us. I easily single storied her. James shared a story about how he hasn’t been treated great by his parents and it has made it hard for him to connect to people, even mentioning Mikayla directly. I only got one side of his story (Mikayla’s story) and found out so much more about his situation. And the biggest of all, the girl I initially judged for being awkward and kind of rude and weird, told us she wished she could be someone different and that she never made real connections with people because she is protective of her disabled brother and never wanted to bring anyone home. She has gotten antisocial and doesn’t know how to interact with other people and for me, it was so fricken easy to single story her in the beginning of the week. Hearing people’s back stories made it so much easier to appreciate what I have and to remember NEVER to single story someone, and to realize there is more to every single person’s life, more than we know. Even as the activity went on, I went from thinking I had no back story, to realizing that I put a lot of pressure on myself to find a high paying job so I can support my parents when I’m older since they have been such incredible parents to me...always being generous in every way and always being supportive of every thing I do. I realize I don’t even enjoy business or investing and that I think there’s a bigger calling for me in this world but that I feel like I need to do something that makes me unhappy to be successful and provide for my family. There’s no reason for anyone to single story me either.

In terms of the trip, we finished the work week on Thursday by helping at a farm “in the hood.” We got to eat fresh cherry tomatoes and plant collard greens in some cow manure. In the mean time, I could hear our own leader complaining about how much she hated farming/planting. I think it made me realize that a positive attitude is quite literally the most important part of any experience of activity. But we also got to meet a super nice woman who worked there and we got to provide fresh fruit and vegetables for people in the neighborhood who don’t have access to it. Then, we finished Friday with a great day paddle boarding and kayaking where I learned how much I appreciate floatin around in a life jacket. :) 

Overall, I think this trip made me thing much differently about how I think of other people that I meet. There is never a reason to judge and single story someone until you know everything that they have gone through. It made me see the importance of volunteering, as we made significant progress at each of our job sites. Finally, it made me appreciate the friends and family I have as well as the new 21 friends I have made on this trip. 21 more faces to smile at on campus :) I take back all of my initial regrets I had for going on this trip. I’m grateful for everything.