Good morning guys! Anyone else crazy confused about what day it is? I’m sure most people have gotten over the novelty of the holiday weekend but man it was so good that I just can’t move past it! How could I complain, though, about a fast-moving week? I’m basically in the express lane to the weekend!
It’s rainy and humid here in Chicago on this foggy morning but it seems like summer is finally here to stay. I’m going to take what I can get and not mention how sad I am that we skipped spring, one of my favorite seasons growing up. Considering it was snowing in the suburbs just weeks ago, however, I should really count my blessings that June seems to be right on schedule.
Okay enough with the chit-chat. I have to tell you about my trip!
First things first, if you’re in the Midwest and need an escape, look no further than the beautiful Lake Geneva. I’m not sure if it was the weather, the quaint little shops, our animated hotel Concierge named Chad, or the excitement of all being together, but my friends and I had an absolutely incredible trip.
I woke up early Saturday morning to get a quick run in before my friend Jordan picked me up for the trip. Sidenote: I love the suburb where I’m from. I always make fun of the suburbs of Chicago and how happy I am that I now live in the city, but there’s something so comforting about being able to go home. It’s safe, slow, and has beautiful running routes.
I could just keep running for days…
Anyway, after a quick run to Trader Joe’s to pick up beach snacks we were on our way! I was particularly excited because it was the perfect excuse to use my new picnic basket. There’s a smidgen of 50s housewife in my blood so this made me way too happy.
Snacks included Trader Joe’s greek yogurt kale and spinach dip (it really is as amazing as it sounds) alongside carrots, chopped celery, and whole wheat pita crackers. Oh and homemade “sangria” – white wine, Fresca, and frozen berries. Don’t knock it til you try it!
Best news of the weekend: I didn’t burn! Besides a little redness on my chest I didn’t leave Lake Geneva a hobbling lobster like I usually do. Point, Lauren.
Because I know you’re curious, we definitely ate our way through the city. Between the best ice cream in the country from Kilwin’s (toasted coconut with chocolate shavings) to the slow roasted, pulled chicken sandwich from a lakeside joint called Popeye’s, it’s safe to say I left Lake Geneva stuffed and satisfied. Oh and did I mention they have the cutest Starbucks I’ve ever seen? It was adorable!
I was almost too embarrassed to put the following picture up, but, CRAB CAKES and garlic dressing. Does it get any better than that?
Oh and just so you don’t think I went to Lake Geneva alone… 🙂
I can’t tell you how great it was to have a girls weekend with my friends. It’s been a year since we graduated and even though it seems like our lives are going in all different directions, we’ve done a pretty good job of staying friends. These girls mean the world to me and I’m so lucky that we all lived on the same dorm floor freshman year. I remember leaving for my first year of school and my mom telling me how important it would be to make girlfriends in college. I always had a few girlfriends but mostly guy friends in high school thanks to having a serious boyfriend at the time. I didn’t know if I would make new friends, let alone a group like this. But it happened and now I have friends for life thanks to these lovely women. I really can’t express enough how great it is to have a loving, supportive group of friends like this and it was wonderful to take a three day vacation with them. Oh and did I mention we got friendship bracelets? 23 going on 12 🙂
Questions:
- I know I’m late to the party but tell me about your weekend!
- Are you still close with your friends from college?
i had a big lunch 
This is so magical. i’m glad you all had an amazing time! And how amazing is Kilwins….holy crap I was introduced to it when I would go to Blowing Rock NC for horse shows. They have one in Chicago, if I remember correctly!
TAKE ME NEXT TIME I WANNA GO TO THE LAKE! Even though I would totally be party crashing. I’m ok with that 😀
There’s one right by the lake near Buckingham Fountain! That’ll definitely be happening this summer!
I love your pictures!!! You guys are soooo cute together!!! Lovely outfits and fun times!! I LOVE your picnic basket!!! There is nothing better than a cute picnic basket filled with yummy treats!!! Glad you had a wonderful weekend!!!
Thanks so much! It was amazing. And the picnic basket was awesome I felt really cool haha
Haha, love it!!!
awww totally dig the picnic basket (like, give me that) and the friendship bracelets. girls’ trips are the best inventions everrr. so glad you had a great wknd! mine was fab too — chilled w/ the fam at the lakehouse upstate (super blessed that my parents live right on a beautiful lake). hard to return to reality aka city life!
My parents eventually want to move to a lake – that would be so awesome because then I’d want to visit even more! I’m so glad to hear your weekend was great! I never imagined I’d be old enough to take a real “girls trip” haha but there you have it!
Oh my goodness that ice cream!!! I wish I could find somewhere that would make coconut ice cream!
Love your pink top btw!
Thanks! I never used to like that color but now I can’t get enough hot pink 🙂 And toasted coconut ice cream is to die for – keep an eye out for it because it’s worth it!
Love the friendship bracelets!! Mmm and ice cream.
It was so funny that we ended up getting those – totally worth the $1.75 😉
What a fun trip!! You guys are so cute! WHERE ON EARTH DID YOU GET THAT PICNIC BASKET? I’m completely obsessed with the idea of getting one and taking my daughter on these magical picnics with it.
All the food and ice cream looks amazing. 🙂 Oh and yes totally confused about what day it is all day long. Something about having a Monday off will always do that to me, but never if it’s a Friday. Weird.
Honestly my parents picked it up and never use it! I’ve seen so many cute one at Marshall’s though so check it out!
I am kind of obsessed with your white picnic basket!
What a fun weekend! I’m also loving the pink tops!
My college friends are scattered throughout the country so I don’t see many of them anymore, which is sad but I have a lot of friends I have made since college.
Yeah I’ve worked a few jobs since graduating and I’m racking up friends like nobody’s business! haha
That really is the cutest Starbucks ever! Someone at work today was telling me about that sangria – I think it’s a sign I need to try it this weekend!
Glad to know other people know about that sangria – it’s so easy and pretty cheap! Especially if you use two buck chuck from Trader Joe’s haha
I would totally gate crash this girls weekend purely for the crab cakes alone!!!
This really is awesome you’re still in touch with your old pals- that truly is a rarity in today’s day and age!
If I see crab cakes on the menu I don’t care if I’m in Nebraska or Rhode Island I’m buying them (and hoping for the best). But they were amazing!! I really am so lucky how close we are and that it seems like we’re going to make efforts to stay close in the future.
That sounds fabulous! I went to a wonderful happy hour Friday with friends and my sister and Sunday was cookout day! It was a lovely but busy weekend! And my oh my I have not made it back to earth yet either haha
I’m so excited that it’s finally cookout season! There’s really nothing better
Looks like such a fun weekend 🙂 Sadly, I am not THAT CLOSE with my college friends anymore and that’s because I moved away to Los Angeles. But I know if I saw them again, it would be like no time went by!
That’s how you know they were really true friends, when you can just pick up right where you left off 🙂 Speaking of that I miss LA like crazy I want to visit sometime soon!
When you visit, keep me posted – We can have a big lunch together 😉