Author Archives for Lizzie Jaeger

MAKING ME HAPPY MONDAY

 

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I have had a great couple of days recently. I finally sealed the deal on a new apartment, YES! I have been having a lot of fun at work. The weather in Chicago has just been spectacular. Overall, I am just feeling like I’m in a good place. And who doesn’t like that?

But here are a few things that are making me extra happy this Monday:

1. This website, The EveryGirl, is so empowering and fun to read. So is the personal blog of one of the creators of The EveryGirl, Breakfast at Toast. Bonus points because this site is based in Chicago!

2. This chair makes me giggle. And now I desperately want it.

3. Have you watched the documentary Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead? Oiy. It’s life changing. There will be more on that later…

4. Fun. I am thoroughly obsessed with this band right now. They are just so talented and interesting. I have spent an embarrassing amount of time youtubing great interviews with them and watching all of their music videos. Are you a fan of Fun.?

What is making you happy today? I hope you have a marvelous Monday!

if you’re lucky enough to have four little things to enjoy on a Monday, you’re lucky enough

A FRIDAY THOUGHT: BE THE TYPE OF PERSON

I stumbled across this quote a few days ago and it hit me straight in the heart. Isn’t it powerful? Be the type of person you want to meet. It’s so simple.

I spent the past few days coming back to this thought and I made a mental (now written) list of qualities the person I want to meet would have:

  • an ability to see the positive in the everyday
  • passion
  • dedication
  • the integrity to follow through with promises made, no matter the size
  • a smiling face

I am making a conscience effort to be more like this, to be more like the person I would like to meet, more like the friend I would like to have. But this theory, this idea can be applied to so many different relationships in our lives too. Be the type of partner you want to have. Be the type of daughter you want to have. Be the type of employee you want to manage. It could go on and on, and the goodness could just spread like wildfire. Oh how I love the joy of feeling inspired.

Do you like this quote? Does it make you think any differently about the type of person you are?

if you’re lucky enough to be inspired to be better, you’re lucky enough

 

 

IT’S KIND OF FUNNY

IMG_0481Yesterday a friend was asking me what I studied in college. When I told him that I earned a degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management, he said “Oh, so you’ve always known that you wanted to work in hotels?”

Long story short, no I did not always know. In high school, I applied to about 12 different colleges and every one of them I applied to study journalism. For some wacky reason, San Diego State was the only college that I applied with a hospitality major. And even though I thankfully got into a handful of different colleges, for some wacky reason I ended up choosing San Diego State University. It’s just so funny how things work out sometimes.

If I had gone to a school and studied journalism, I wonder where I would have been? What would I be doing? Where would I be living?

But my favorite part of the conversation was when my friend said, “But if you hadn’t studied hospitality you might not be working here. And I might not have met you.” Come on. It was such a sweet little dash of honey in my day and it made me think about how beautiful life is.

It’s kind of funny, isn’t it? It’s kind of funny when you think about the little moments that make up our lives. If my mom hadn’t gotten a job at that bar in college, she might not have poured my dad’s drinks. If my Grandpa hadn’t been in the Marines, my Grandma might not have fallen in love while writing letters to him overseas. If my dad hadn’t taken a job in California, I might not have grown up in my beloved Northern California town. It’s kind of funny how when you take a moment to think about life and the tiny little moments that make it up, it can make you dizzy.

Do you know what I mean? Are you feeling dizzy now?

if you’re lucky enough to have one of those moments when you say wow, you’re lucky enough

 

IT’S THE SIMPLE THINGS

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As soon as I was old enough to eat my breakfast at the table and skip the high chair I have heard the phrase “it’s the simple things…” And I would feel pretty confident in assuming that you too have heard this saying on many occasions. This phrase is stitched on pillows, the title of a handful of songs, and the beginning on a hundred different quotes.

So today, here are a few of my simple things…

The avocados I’ve found at the grocery store have been top notch lately. 

I booked a flight home for a week in September where I’ll be meeting one of my closest aunts and three of my favorite cousins at my parents’ house. I’m a tiny bit ecstatic about this.

I started a green committee at work and we are going to slowly work together to make our hotel more environmentally friendly. How amazing is that?

It was warm enough to walk to an adorable little ice cream shop around the block from our apartment yesterday, so Johanna and I had our first ice cream of the season.

What simple things can you think of today? Because as we all know, as we have all heard, it’s the simple things in life that matter the most.

if you’re lucky enough to remember it’s the simple things, you’re lucky enough

A CHICAGO FAVORITE: INTELLIGENTSIA COFFEE

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My sister recently visited me in Chicago. I love playing tour guide in this city. It’s so much fun to have the opportunity to show off my favorite places and to try new things as I’m still pretty fresh here. I’m planning to eventually create a full guide of what I recommend seeing and doing in the city, but in the mean time I will share just a small tidbit here and there.

And the first one? If you have a day to spend in Chicago, I recommend starting it off with a latte from Intelligentsia Coffee. The coffee is delicious, the cafes are adorable, the baristas are super friendly, and most importantly to me the beans are not just fair trade, but direct trade.

Have you ever had Intelligentsia? While the company started in Chicago, they also serve coffee in LA and New York. If you try a cup of jo from Intelligentsia, I hope you’ll let me know!

if you’re lucky enough to enjoy a soy latte from Intelligentsia, you’re lucky enough