![You know that shop in your neighborhood or town that feels like the heart of it all? That’s @bookcellarchicago for me. Right across from Giddings Plaza here in Lincoln Square and surrounded by other gems like @cafe_selmarie @genessausageshop @enjoychicago and @timelesstoyschicago.
Owned by the incredibly generous and seemingly tireless Suzy Takacs, The Book Cellar has been a hub of energetic events and happenings during non-pandemic times. Author talks, speed “book” dating, comedy nights, there was always something lively going on at this great indie book store and off-site as well.
A community life force like this is sorely missed during times like these, but it can be there for us when we get back to normal if we make sure we do our best to support it during the tough times.
One of the things that Suzy started last year during the Black Lives Matter protests was an antiracism book club, hosted via Zoom on Monday nights. It’s continued on all these months. For March 8th, they’ll be talking about You’ll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey: Crazy Stories about Racism. There may still be copies at the store if you want to start joining in, or, of course, they can get one ordered for you.
These are some of the most important books I’ve bought from the Book Cellar, books on antiracism by Robin Diangelo, @ibramxk and Beverly Tatum. The South Side by Natalie Moore and Electric Arches by Eve L Ewing, I was privileged to receive when I attended the Carl Sandberg Literary Awards put on by @cplfoundation a few years ago where these two esteemed Chicago authors were featured.
I was even luckier to get to sit at @eve.ewing's table and meet her firsthand. I shared about her on my personal page last summer, highlighting one of my favorite pieces from Electric Arches, “four boys on Ellis [a re-telling]”. The piece moved me so much the first time I read it, and again since.
I got more curious about Eve, and I learned that Philadelphia Printworks @philaprint created a shirt based on “four boys,” and though not much of a t-shirt person, I knew I wanted to help spread Ewing’s wisdom into the world. It’s been one of most worn shirts since last summer.
(Cont below)]()
You know that shop in your neighborhood or town that feels like the heart of it all? That’s @bookcellarchicago for me. Right across from Giddings Plaza here in Lincoln Square and surrounded by other gems like @cafe_selmarie @genessausageshop @enjoychicago and @timelesstoyschicago. Owned by the incredibly generous and seemingly tireless Suzy Takacs, The Book Cellar has been a hub of energetic events and happenings during non-pandemic times. Author talks, speed “book” dating, comedy nights, there was always something lively going on at this great indie book store and off-site as well. A community life force like this is sorely missed during times like these, but it can be there for us when we get back to normal if we make sure we do our best to support it during the tough times. One of the things that Suzy started last year during the Black Lives Matter protests was an antiracism book club, hosted via Zoom on Monday nights. It’s continued on all these months. For March 8th, they’ll be talking about You’ll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey: Crazy Stories about Racism. There may still be copies at the store if you want to start joining in, or, of course, they can get one ordered for you. These are some of the most important books I’ve bought from the Book Cellar, books on antiracism by Robin Diangelo, @ibramxk and Beverly Tatum. The South Side by Natalie Moore and Electric Arches by Eve L Ewing, I was privileged to receive when I attended the Carl Sandberg Literary Awards put on by @cplfoundation a few years ago where these two esteemed Chicago authors were featured. I was even luckier to get to sit at @eve.ewing's table and meet her firsthand. I shared about her on my personal page last summer, highlighting one of my favorite pieces from Electric Arches, “four boys on Ellis [a re-telling]”. The piece moved me so much the first time I read it, and again since. I got more curious about Eve, and I learned that Philadelphia Printworks @philaprint created a shirt based on “four boys,” and though not much of a t-shirt person, I knew I wanted to help spread Ewing’s wisdom into the world. It’s been one of most worn shirts since last summer. (Cont below) ![Nope, it’s not Saturday, but I just ordered one of my favorite things from one of my favorite neighborhood cafes (right under the Montrose el station). I had to wait two days because they are not open on Sundays and Mondays, but it’s worth the wait to get some tasty nut butters from @spokencafe! (Correction, Spoken is only closed on Mondays!)
They don’t ALWAYS have them in stock, either, so you have to be a dedicated instagram stalker like me to hear when they have restocked them. 😉
I first ordered their walnut and almond butters a few months back, and wow, I knew there was no going back to store bought any more. My taste buds would simply revolt.
I tried to make my own one week when Spoken was out of stock, and I did pretty well with the walnut one, but I just couldn’t get my almond butter to the same amazing taste & texture as Spoken’s.
Besides being incredibly delicious, did you know that nuts are also incredibly nutritious?? Don’t take my word for it, trust the scientists studying this stuff and give it a google to learn that nuts are packed with nutrients great for skin health, lowering cholesterol, helping to control weight loss & sweets cravings, and may even help reduce heart attacks and strokes.
Okay, so I’m nuts about Spoken’s nut butters, but this is just the tip of the smorgasbord. Why do folks love Spoken? First, the owners, Will & Sido, hailing from Louisiana, have hearts of GOLD. And the hard work ethic of a hundred people.
From delicious sandwiches with names like the Beatrice Bialy and the Señora Huerta (or this week’s special the Shirley Chisholm) to their Louisiana specialties like gumbo and Andouille sausage to their delicious coffee drinks, homemade cookies, and @doritedonuts (is your mouth watering yet?), Spoken will keep your belly happy all week long for breakfast and lunch. (Just not on Mondays.)
Order up your nut butters and other goodies like their homemade canned jams and preserves (I also picked up some Apple Bourbon Butter today to have with my overnight oats), but you can also order groceries and your drinks & sammitches online, too. In fact, ordering online is super encouraged (cont in comments)]()
Nope, it’s not Saturday, but I just ordered one of my favorite things from one of my favorite neighborhood cafes (right under the Montrose el station). I had to wait two days because they are not open on Sundays and Mondays, but it’s worth the wait to get some tasty nut butters from @spokencafe! (Correction, Spoken is only closed on Mondays!) They don’t ALWAYS have them in stock, either, so you have to be a dedicated instagram stalker like me to hear when they have restocked them. 😉 I first ordered their walnut and almond butters a few months back, and wow, I knew there was no going back to store bought any more. My taste buds would simply revolt. I tried to make my own one week when Spoken was out of stock, and I did pretty well with the walnut one, but I just couldn’t get my almond butter to the same amazing taste & texture as Spoken’s. Besides being incredibly delicious, did you know that nuts are also incredibly nutritious?? Don’t take my word for it, trust the scientists studying this stuff and give it a google to learn that nuts are packed with nutrients great for skin health, lowering cholesterol, helping to control weight loss & sweets cravings, and may even help reduce heart attacks and strokes. Okay, so I’m nuts about Spoken’s nut butters, but this is just the tip of the smorgasbord. Why do folks love Spoken? First, the owners, Will & Sido, hailing from Louisiana, have hearts of GOLD. And the hard work ethic of a hundred people. From delicious sandwiches with names like the Beatrice Bialy and the Señora Huerta (or this week’s special the Shirley Chisholm) to their Louisiana specialties like gumbo and Andouille sausage to their delicious coffee drinks, homemade cookies, and @doritedonuts (is your mouth watering yet?), Spoken will keep your belly happy all week long for breakfast and lunch. (Just not on Mondays.) Order up your nut butters and other goodies like their homemade canned jams and preserves (I also picked up some Apple Bourbon Butter today to have with my overnight oats), but you can also order groceries and your drinks & sammitches online, too. In fact, ordering online is super encouraged (cont in comments) ![When I saw these @fluevog boots pop up on @asecretcloset.chicago’s instagram, I instantly had hearts in my eyes. I used to wear Fluevogs back in my 20s, an eclectic, high-quality brand that appeals to both my desire for creative AND comfortable shoes. Turned out that these pretty boots were JUST MY SIZE so it seemed fated for them to land on my feet.
Peeps were asking about my outfit in the last #myfavoritethings #everysaturdayissmallbusinesssaturday, and I was already planning to share about A Secret Closet, one of my favorite neighborhood boutiques, where I’ve picked up so many great pieces (including this black dress) for my wardrobe over the years.
If you’ve ever been to the Davis Theater (an icon of Lincoln Square that we are all missing so much right now), you’ll know exactly where @asecretcloset.chicago is: right across the street.
Owned by a gorgeous, kind-hearted woman named Carmen (a Salma Hayek look-a-like!), A Secret Closet is a treasure of our neighborhood. It’s a bit of a resale shop with current trends mixed in with some brand-new items as well as vintage finds, and I think it’s been here for 20 years now! In thinking of how to describe it, I thought this Yelp reviewer nailed it perfectly:
"I LOVE this store. I always get the most compliments on the items I get from here. High quality, unique stuff. I prefer not to buy new clothes (because there are already so many clothes that have already been made), but I like to look nice too-- so this is the best of both worlds. Vintage stores can get kinda kitchy, general thrift stores can be exhausting to pick through, and consignment stores are often too high-end for my taste. Secret closet is juuuuuust right.
And the owner is super nice. Sometimes when I come in she says, "oh, I have the cutest thing that I think will fit you perfectly!" and she is usually right. I love that she's honest, too-- if I'm not sure about something, I can always trust that she'll give me a truthful opinion. If it's not to die for, she'll help me find something even better.”
Even if I’m not shopping, I often stop in to say hi to Carmen and hear how her amazing daughters are doing. (Continued in comments)]()
When I saw these @fluevog boots pop up on @asecretcloset.chicago’s instagram, I instantly had hearts in my eyes. I used to wear Fluevogs back in my 20s, an eclectic, high-quality brand that appeals to both my desire for creative AND comfortable shoes. Turned out that these pretty boots were JUST MY SIZE so it seemed fated for them to land on my feet. Peeps were asking about my outfit in the last #myfavoritethings #everysaturdayissmallbusinesssaturday, and I was already planning to share about A Secret Closet, one of my favorite neighborhood boutiques, where I’ve picked up so many great pieces (including this black dress) for my wardrobe over the years. If you’ve ever been to the Davis Theater (an icon of Lincoln Square that we are all missing so much right now), you’ll know exactly where @asecretcloset.chicago is: right across the street. Owned by a gorgeous, kind-hearted woman named Carmen (a Salma Hayek look-a-like!), A Secret Closet is a treasure of our neighborhood. It’s a bit of a resale shop with current trends mixed in with some brand-new items as well as vintage finds, and I think it’s been here for 20 years now! In thinking of how to describe it, I thought this Yelp reviewer nailed it perfectly: "I LOVE this store. I always get the most compliments on the items I get from here. High quality, unique stuff. I prefer not to buy new clothes (because there are already so many clothes that have already been made), but I like to look nice too-- so this is the best of both worlds. Vintage stores can get kinda kitchy, general thrift stores can be exhausting to pick through, and consignment stores are often too high-end for my taste. Secret closet is juuuuuust right. And the owner is super nice. Sometimes when I come in she says, "oh, I have the cutest thing that I think will fit you perfectly!" and she is usually right. I love that she's honest, too-- if I'm not sure about something, I can always trust that she'll give me a truthful opinion. If it's not to die for, she'll help me find something even better.” Even if I’m not shopping, I often stop in to say hi to Carmen and hear how her amazing daughters are doing. (Continued in comments) ![Happy Chinese New Year? An early cocktail hour for Valentine’s Day? How about both of these things AND the next installment of My Favorite Things celebrating the fabulous @soapdistillery! I shared about this fantastic artisan soap company back in December on my personal FB page, and how I would normally scoop up some of these tasty soaps at @showofhandschicago craft show. As with most events recently, Show of Hands went online, and I made sure to order up a batch of soaps for holiday gift giving and beyond.
While I’m not much of a drinker in general, these soaps are just. plain. fun. Of course, none of us probably WANT to be smelling exactly like a shot of alcohol (especially when you’re driving!), but these are just playful names with equally delightful scents and descriptions. Take, for instance, the whiskey soap: “smells like woods, ginger, clove; feels like sticking to what you know because what you know is gold.” Um, yes, please! And what the heck, I’ll take a shot of feeling invincible, too. Probably a good step toward feeling like Vincent making his Starry Night. ;-)
My current favorite smell is the glogg, which was one of their seasonal offerings over the holidays. I love a good, hot mug of glogg at a holiday party so smelling mulled spices, orange peel and cardamom when I washed my hands this past December made me think happily to the good times to come next Christmas when things are (pretty please, fingers crossed) more back to normal. Plus, I’ve got the perfect warm, giant sweater (that’s my size but huge because that’s the fashion) to wear with it.
These soaps are Made in Chicago, and this Black woman owned business takes sustainability seriously. Their boxes are biodegradable, and they do not use essential oils that are unsustainable to produce. Soap Distillery donates to local organizations like the Broadway Youth Center every year so they are equally amazing from a community perspective. A locally owned business that is just my cup of soap, you might say!
I hope you will check out soapdistillery.com to order some soaptails (continued in comments!)]()
Happy Chinese New Year? An early cocktail hour for Valentine’s Day? How about both of these things AND the next installment of My Favorite Things celebrating the fabulous @soapdistillery! I shared about this fantastic artisan soap company back in December on my personal FB page, and how I would normally scoop up some of these tasty soaps at @showofhandschicago craft show. As with most events recently, Show of Hands went online, and I made sure to order up a batch of soaps for holiday gift giving and beyond. While I’m not much of a drinker in general, these soaps are just. plain. fun. Of course, none of us probably WANT to be smelling exactly like a shot of alcohol (especially when you’re driving!), but these are just playful names with equally delightful scents and descriptions. Take, for instance, the whiskey soap: “smells like woods, ginger, clove; feels like sticking to what you know because what you know is gold.” Um, yes, please! And what the heck, I’ll take a shot of feeling invincible, too. Probably a good step toward feeling like Vincent making his Starry Night. ;-) My current favorite smell is the glogg, which was one of their seasonal offerings over the holidays. I love a good, hot mug of glogg at a holiday party so smelling mulled spices, orange peel and cardamom when I washed my hands this past December made me think happily to the good times to come next Christmas when things are (pretty please, fingers crossed) more back to normal. Plus, I’ve got the perfect warm, giant sweater (that’s my size but huge because that’s the fashion) to wear with it. These soaps are Made in Chicago, and this Black woman owned business takes sustainability seriously. Their boxes are biodegradable, and they do not use essential oils that are unsustainable to produce. Soap Distillery donates to local organizations like the Broadway Youth Center every year so they are equally amazing from a community perspective. A locally owned business that is just my cup of soap, you might say! I hope you will check out soapdistillery.com to order some soaptails (continued in comments!) ![Happy birthday to my sister Elbe this week! Here she is from a few years back with her sweet doggo Cleo when they came to see me at jookie for a very rare visit. Cleo passed away since then but she was like 17 years old here, can you believe it?! So old for a dog, but no doubt Elbe’s love and gentle nature kept her going so long. Cleo had to be carried up stairs by that point in her life. I love how you can see the puppy in Cleo’s sweet, gray-haired face. What a cutie she was!
Elbe is my oldest sibling and helped take care of us younger four siblings as kids. She was such a big help to my full-time working mom.
What I admire most about my big sis is her advocacy for transgender rights. #transrightsarehumanrights She’s also just super smart, and knows so much about history and politics and science. She’s also got the Liebhaber artist genes, and I have two giant paintings in my apartment by her. On top of all this, she’s also an army vet! Love you, @elbelieb !!]()
Happy birthday to my sister Elbe this week! Here she is from a few years back with her sweet doggo Cleo when they came to see me at jookie for a very rare visit. Cleo passed away since then but she was like 17 years old here, can you believe it?! So old for a dog, but no doubt Elbe’s love and gentle nature kept her going so long. Cleo had to be carried up stairs by that point in her life. I love how you can see the puppy in Cleo’s sweet, gray-haired face. What a cutie she was! Elbe is my oldest sibling and helped take care of us younger four siblings as kids. She was such a big help to my full-time working mom. What I admire most about my big sis is her advocacy for transgender rights. #transrightsarehumanrights She’s also just super smart, and knows so much about history and politics and science. She’s also got the Liebhaber artist genes, and I have two giant paintings in my apartment by her. On top of all this, she’s also an army vet! Love you, @elbelieb !! ![Great article from @redtricycle recently on how to decorate entry ways like this “gallery style” wall of black and white images in classic framing. I first did a gorgeous 12 series like this for a mom with four kiddos at their favorite playground, documentary style, back in 2012. All from the same session. Recently, another wonderful client did something similar but from sessions spanning over a decade. I love how she’s leaving room (see second image) to add more rows over time for the next decade. ❤️ jookie mainly creates color portraits but black and white is a perfect way to do photo journalistic artwork or to tie together images from different sessions. Really nice & clean!]()
Great article from @redtricycle recently on how to decorate entry ways like this “gallery style” wall of black and white images in classic framing. I first did a gorgeous 12 series like this for a mom with four kiddos at their favorite playground, documentary style, back in 2012. All from the same session. Recently, another wonderful client did something similar but from sessions spanning over a decade. I love how she’s leaving room (see second image) to add more rows over time for the next decade. ❤️ jookie mainly creates color portraits but black and white is a perfect way to do photo journalistic artwork or to tie together images from different sessions. Really nice & clean! ![When you support a small business, you support a dream. – Anonymous
Join Print Club! Many of you know that I LOVE sending out snail mail to my loved ones, especially to my niblings and jookie clients. So when @starshapedpress launched Print Club this past fall, I was excited to have new stationery delivered right to me every month. Now I want to help spread the word. 🙂
Print Club focuses on bringing you thoughtful postcards, greeting cards, prints, notebooks and other items made in the studio or in collaboration with midwestern vendors. It is centered on using recycled materials, fostering community and supporting other small businesses. With various price points for every budget, folks can pitch in to keep Starshaped vital while receiving super fun, themed mail every month.
Head over to the website www.starshaped.com or find the link in the bio on the Starshaped Instagram page. Check out the different tiers of Print Club membership to find the one right for you.
Starshaped is owned by Jennifer Farrell (who founded it in 1999) and is located in the Bulldog Lock Co. building on Ravenswood since 2003. The facade of her studio’s building was the inspiration for this gorgeous mailer featured here that she she created this past fall in lieu of her annual holiday show which she would normally have been hosting in non-pandemic times. This mailer is such a work of art!
There are so many things I admire about Jen including her mad sewing and crocheting skills, her incredible dedication to her craft, and especially the fact that 10% of all her shop sales are contributed to local organizations supporting families and artists in our community.
My favorite print from last year is one titled Are You Sure, which features the lyrics of the Staple Singers song from which she donated the proceeds to the Greater Chicago Food Depository. These are still on sale in her shop along with Print Club and her other wonderful work.
So please, I hope you will take some time and check Starshaped out if you are a stationery and art lover as well!]()
When you support a small business, you support a dream. – Anonymous Join Print Club! Many of you know that I LOVE sending out snail mail to my loved ones, especially to my niblings and jookie clients. So when @starshapedpress launched Print Club this past fall, I was excited to have new stationery delivered right to me every month. Now I want to help spread the word. 🙂 Print Club focuses on bringing you thoughtful postcards, greeting cards, prints, notebooks and other items made in the studio or in collaboration with midwestern vendors. It is centered on using recycled materials, fostering community and supporting other small businesses. With various price points for every budget, folks can pitch in to keep Starshaped vital while receiving super fun, themed mail every month. Head over to the website www.starshaped.com or find the link in the bio on the Starshaped Instagram page. Check out the different tiers of Print Club membership to find the one right for you. Starshaped is owned by Jennifer Farrell (who founded it in 1999) and is located in the Bulldog Lock Co. building on Ravenswood since 2003. The facade of her studio’s building was the inspiration for this gorgeous mailer featured here that she she created this past fall in lieu of her annual holiday show which she would normally have been hosting in non-pandemic times. This mailer is such a work of art! There are so many things I admire about Jen including her mad sewing and crocheting skills, her incredible dedication to her craft, and especially the fact that 10% of all her shop sales are contributed to local organizations supporting families and artists in our community. My favorite print from last year is one titled Are You Sure, which features the lyrics of the Staple Singers song from which she donated the proceeds to the Greater Chicago Food Depository. These are still on sale in her shop along with Print Club and her other wonderful work. So please, I hope you will take some time and check Starshaped out if you are a stationery and art lover as well! ![When I was photographing this sweet pup, his humans remarked to me that I’m really good with dogs, to which I replied, “Toddlers trained me.” It was the first thing that came to my mind bc I realized in that moment it was the truth. 😁 I love photographing action shots of doggos and toddlers alike. As Maria Montessori believed, “play is the work of the child” so they are often on the move at that young age, playing. Doggos want to play, too. 😉
Do you know any Highland Park families you want to refer jookie to? If so, going on RIGHT NOW, in its final day, is the online charity drive hosted by Highland Park High School in support of one of my all time favorite organizations @savingtinyhearts .
We donated TWO gift certificates, one for a pet session and one for a family session (pets are always welcome at any family session!). It can be a studio session OR a location session.
Please share with anyone you think would enjoy the jookie portrait experience and want to help raise money for a wonderful cause! Don’t hesitate to let me know about YOUR school or organization’s upcoming online silent auction, either. It’s that time of year and the requests are rolling in. jookie loves to support causes our community and clients care about. ❤️]()
When I was photographing this sweet pup, his humans remarked to me that I’m really good with dogs, to which I replied, “Toddlers trained me.” It was the first thing that came to my mind bc I realized in that moment it was the truth. 😁 I love photographing action shots of doggos and toddlers alike. As Maria Montessori believed, “play is the work of the child” so they are often on the move at that young age, playing. Doggos want to play, too. 😉 Do you know any Highland Park families you want to refer jookie to? If so, going on RIGHT NOW, in its final day, is the online charity drive hosted by Highland Park High School in support of one of my all time favorite organizations @savingtinyhearts . We donated TWO gift certificates, one for a pet session and one for a family session (pets are always welcome at any family session!). It can be a studio session OR a location session. Please share with anyone you think would enjoy the jookie portrait experience and want to help raise money for a wonderful cause! Don’t hesitate to let me know about YOUR school or organization’s upcoming online silent auction, either. It’s that time of year and the requests are rolling in. jookie loves to support causes our community and clients care about. ❤️
![You know that shop in your neighborhood or town that feels like the heart of it all? That’s @bookcellarchicago for me. Right across from Giddings Plaza here in Lincoln Square and surrounded by other gems like @cafe_selmarie @genessausageshop @enjoychicago and @timelesstoyschicago.
Owned by the incredibly generous and seemingly tireless Suzy Takacs, The Book Cellar has been a hub of energetic events and happenings during non-pandemic times. Author talks, speed “book” dating, comedy nights, there was always something lively going on at this great indie book store and off-site as well.
A community life force like this is sorely missed during times like these, but it can be there for us when we get back to normal if we make sure we do our best to support it during the tough times.
One of the things that Suzy started last year during the Black Lives Matter protests was an antiracism book club, hosted via Zoom on Monday nights. It’s continued on all these months. For March 8th, they’ll be talking about You’ll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey: Crazy Stories about Racism. There may still be copies at the store if you want to start joining in, or, of course, they can get one ordered for you.
These are some of the most important books I’ve bought from the Book Cellar, books on antiracism by Robin Diangelo, @ibramxk and Beverly Tatum. The South Side by Natalie Moore and Electric Arches by Eve L Ewing, I was privileged to receive when I attended the Carl Sandberg Literary Awards put on by @cplfoundation a few years ago where these two esteemed Chicago authors were featured.
I was even luckier to get to sit at @eve.ewing's table and meet her firsthand. I shared about her on my personal page last summer, highlighting one of my favorite pieces from Electric Arches, “four boys on Ellis [a re-telling]”. The piece moved me so much the first time I read it, and again since.
I got more curious about Eve, and I learned that Philadelphia Printworks @philaprint created a shirt based on “four boys,” and though not much of a t-shirt person, I knew I wanted to help spread Ewing’s wisdom into the world. It’s been one of most worn shirts since last summer.
(Cont below)](https://scontent-frt3-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.29350-15/155544702_1084512185346217_3137546869206093135_n.jpg?_nc_cat=102&ccb=3&_nc_sid=8ae9d6&_nc_ohc=ZXlX3hM6RiUAX_paBSk&_nc_ht=scontent-frt3-1.cdninstagram.com&oh=5f2e9aa962fb997215e6bc1facc00132&oe=606329BA)
