Live Here Oak Park

I came across this blog a while ago when doing a different search on Oak Park.  I read a story of someone getting an iphone stolen on the green line which completely sucks.  Since then, I visit the blog occasionally to get information regarding goings on in Oak Park.  Different from the other blogs I have showcased, this one has actual forums and discussions.  Topics from Fannie May Candy to a new opera production company are just a couple of samplings.  This blog is not just someone posting different stories and experiences.  It truely is a community sharing information and ideas.  Even you can post to the blog, add a comment, participate in a forum or just cruise and map the different subjects.  This is interesting and informative.  Visit and share something.  It really is something I should read every day.

Virtual Farmgirl: Sea Turtle Surprise at Sunrise

Virtual Farmgirl: Sea Turtle Surprise at Sunrise.  Had to share this sweet sweet story from our Oak Park friend, VFG.  How amazing they got to experience this.  Gives hope.

Style Rookie?

I read about The Style Rookie a while back from a Chicago Tribune write-up.  I question the use of the word “rookie” in any way associated with her blog.  Elsmo Four said about her “she is no joke and is destined to be famous.  Seriously.”  Tavi’s feminist voice rages about fashion, things she likes, the things she doesn’t, justice and liberty for all.  She is humble in a sassy way. I don’t know her, but I imagine Juno, only with a closet full of style and funk and attitude.  (maybe more Haley Stark than Juno.)  The question becomes what compels a middle age (yes, I am), uncool, more-like-Kathy-Bates-than-anything-hip mother to read her blog?  The answer is simple, she can write.  I just read the post about going to her middle school dance titled  In which I reflect on a Middle School Situation, Publishing a Work I will Read in Shame in a Matter of Years.  My inner middle schooler relates.  I’ll read what she writes today because it is good.  That simple.

Tavi, photo from her blog, hopefully she doesn't mind...if so, let me know

Green in Oak Park

The subtitle of Green in Oak Park is Living Green, Saving Green and Eating Your Greens.  Okay, über clever.  She should change her name to sustainability.  One thing I really like about her blog is the substance.  She is an encyclopedia of information on sustainability.  She lives it to the fullest which you can see reading her material.  I do feel guilty after reading the information she posted.  I basically do nothing to help anyone and probably run the air conditioner too long and eat too many pesticides.  I learned a ton much during my evening of reading.  I didn’t know there was an Oak Park community garden, and I am so peeved I didn’t buy some space.  How have I lived here all spring and not seen these people planting things.  Grrrrrrrr.

Oak Park Community Garden

 I didn’t know there were so many books written on sustainability, I didn’t know there was a huge influx of strawberries this year (my genius brain didn’t figure the cheap strawberries were there for a reason)  Please take a look at her blog.  She has a wealth of information that is well written and interesting.

The Cote Boys

When P 4 recommended this blog to me, I didn’t know that I would find another person who lives in Oak Park that I want to get to know.  I don’t know him and I don’t know his boys, but like the blogs before, I am compelled to read what he has to say.  I spent the better part of Saturday morning looking at his events and musings of parenthood and life.  I read his post to his mother, showcasing how amazing his mother is and was moved enough to give my mom a call this morning just to let her know I love her.     Cote’s blog reminds me that it does take a village (VOP)  to raise a child.  His tales of umplanned single parenthood are touching. From Proud Papa, to book publisher.   NEWSFLASH  There are parents out there who get on the floor and play with their kids.  Cote is one who’ll get dirty and not fuss about the dirt.

Frigin’ Awesome

I don’t know the Frig’s but they sound like the people I would love to hang out with. She writes home spun tales of workouts, family bits and foodie feasts. Her photo stories are not to be missed either. Right off the bat you get a sense of who you are reading. Mom, athlete, and artist. Recent pictures of how she and her husband are converting the small SE Oak Park backyard into a useable tiered garden is fantastic. When we can kick the addiction to 2 cars, we may consider the same.   

Garden boxes. What a fantastic idea.

This blog captures something special to me. Her honest storytelling of registering her daughter for Kindergarten actually got me choked up…mine too starts this year. This is another blog that simply has me at a loss for words. How on earth does one woman do so much and still have fantastic meals?  I could probably only do ½ of what she does and would still have to order Chinese.

Virtual Farm Girl

Besides the fact that I love the name of this blog, I really love the content.  Farmgirl covers a little bit of everything in her blog and really, in her life.  The entries vary from the struggles her family is having with allergies, to her committment to vermiposting, and to her love of everything sustainable, especially food.  This has a little bit of something for everyone.  I have managed to get ideas for dips, popcorn poppers and soup recipes.  (Try the butternut squash soup, seriously, I made this at least 8 times this winter) 

Her blog is one to visit daily.  There is always something interesting, funny, or helpful.  Take her suggestion to visit the Oak Park Conservatory on May 22nd for free tulip bulbs….complete shopping bags full of them.  Who knew?

She’s another mother that makes me question how on earth it is humanly possible to get so much done in a day.  Where does she get this much energy?  Must be from the CSA foods she eats.  Though how she actually learned to cook and love kale, I will never know.  This is a must visit for anyone interested in learning about sustainable offerings—not just in Oak Park!

cut back on the leafy greens farmgirl, you make the rest of us look bad

Peas 4 Dinner

Working mom, athlete, and chef.  I only wish I could mange to do one of these things well.  Peas4dinner shows us how good home cooking and family meals can be.  The recipes and side stories inspire me to actually take the cookbook out of the cupboard and start baking.  I am not certain that my children would be adventurous eaters like hers.  The pessimist in me likes to hear of the not-so-perfect meals as well.  “Brian and I used to eat stir-fry all the time. Now I remember why we stopped. The boys do not like it. At all.”

In addition to the great recipes, the funny stories and the beautiful images.  If you are local, there is hope at actually being able to recreate these masterpieces since we can assume most of her shopping is done in or around Oak Park.  A while back, I used her as a reason that the rest of us feel bad because we can’t “do it all.”  She quickly refuted that statement by acknowledging she holds everything together by Silly String.  I get the sense that her blogging actually brings some consistency and order to her crazybusy life. Try her recipes, sit, eat and enjoy.  Also bask in the knowledge that even she heats up frozen food for dinner on occasion.