Hi friends, Hope everyone survived the inbox mayhem over the past week! I’m keeping things very low-key today — just a quick note with something fun I’ve been working on. I finally published my Fun Things to Do in Chicago for First-Time Visitors guide. If you’re planning a trip (or just daydreaming about one), this one breaks down the best views, neighborhoods, museums, food stops, and a few places people usually overlook. And here’s the new YouTube video: Chicago tip of the day: Don’t sleep...

Hey friends, I know your inbox is probably drowning in Cyber Monday emails, so I’m keeping this short and only sharing the things that are genuinely worth your time. First — a quick reminder: only buy what you actually need. A sale is only a deal if it’s something you’ll truly use. Otherwise, it eats up your budget, your space, and eventually ends up in a landfill. We all work too hard for that. Here’s the quick little gut-check I use before I buy anything today: Would I buy this at full...

Hi friends, If you’re celebrating, I hope you’re gearing up for a relaxing Thanksgiving tomorrow... or at least one with minimal kitchen chaos. Quick PSA before the big cooking day: watch out for AI-generated recipes floating around online. I fell for two of them on Pinterest recently, and while they looked totally normal at first glance, they turned out absolutely disgusting. In hindsight, the red flags were obvious: they had generic intro language, overly polished photos, weird formatting,...