Wear the Rainbow

The rainbow stairs at Uniqlo!

Famous Skittles commercials encourage viewers to "Feel the rainbow. Taste the rainbow." If Skittles knew what was in its best interest, it would certainly partner with Uniqlo, a Japanese clothing company whose motto seems to be "WEAR the rainbow--rain or shine". Uniqlo offers a fantastic array of attractive, weather-proof clothing--in every color in the rainbow (and even a few extras, just for kicks). As a new inhabitant of oh-so-weather-spoiled Chicago, I have a very personal appreciation for the wonders of Uniqlo. This San Francisco-based store (soon, possibly, to be in Denver, as well) offers warm and thin heattech clothing. For those of you who aren't quite so used to dressing comfortably and presentably in cold weather, this means that Uniqlo gives you the opportunity to be warm enough in your clothes without adding an entire foot to your body size, because the fabrics are thin and effective.
Uniqlo's heattech clothing is actually pure magic. When my mother sent me a few heattech shirts to try, I was cautious and only opened the packaging of one shirt. After ten days, during which I wore the same shirt approximately six times, I decided it was time to invest in a few more. Yes, there was even one day when I wore my heattech shirt the entire day, changed out of it to do laundry, and immediately put it back on after yanking it out of the dryer. As Uniqlo's website explains, there are seven unique properties of heattech: heat generation, heat retention, soft texture, odor control, stretchable comfort, anti-static, and non-deforming. Translated, this means that heattech shirts help your body keep the heat it generates and naturally gives off, while simultaneously generating heat from the moisture your body releases. This process ensures that your warm body gives off less odor. The fibers of heattech clothing are designed to be form fitting and comfortable to give a "second-skin" kind of feel, which helps you feel less bulky in those cold winter months.
So far, I own more heattech shirts than I would care to admit, and you will be delighted to know that heattech long sleeve t shirts, short sleeve t shirts, camisoles, tank tops, pants, socks, scarves, and turtlenecks are all currently available (and well worth it!). Uniqlo even came out with over-the-knee heattech socks. Can you imagine anything more wonderful?! Furthermore, heattech clothing come in ziplock-ish plastic packages and countless color and pattern combos. In a manner similar to that of H&M, Uniqlo has several fits and styles of clothing, and releases those forms with different, trendy patterns and colors. IE once you discover your perfect size, you can wear ANYTHING in ANY COLOR. For example, I recently purchased a long sleeve heattech t shirt in a pattern of cheery red with little blue apples all over it.
If you're looking for more diversity, Uniqlo also offers customers an array of outerwear, underwear, accessories, pants, and sweaters. Their puffy coats are deliciously warm, and since they come in more colors than Ugly, Uglier, and Ugliest, you won't feel like a fashion martyr when wearing them. Uniqlo underwear is designed to ensure that you never have lines showing through your clothes, either on top or down below. The pants selection is also impressive; Uniqlo has a skinny jeans bar extensive enough to rival independent jean bars and H&M pants selections alike. Also, I recently discovered heattech snow pants! Never had I ever seen such a thing--in purple, too.
If you, loved ones, or friends are planning on bundling up this winter, do yourself or your friends a service and stock up on some Uniqlo heattech. Not only will your body be happier this winter, but your mirror won't hate your for wearing ugly winter clothes, either!
So, whenever you're ready to wear the rainbow, check out Uniqlo here, on their website!

The Hottest Chocolate Around

A few years ago, the "bar" trend caught on like wildfire. In major metropolises around the globe, entrepreneurs opened blow-out bars, brow bars, and jean bars; customers flocked to water bars, chocolate bars, and champagne-only bars. Chicago is home to many such wonders, but the Crown Jewel of them all is Mindy's Hot Chocolate, a restaurant located in the Wicker Park area and famous for its delicious desserts and heavenly-yet-sinfully good hot chocolate. Mindy's features an impressive hot chocolate-oriented bar near the entrance of the restaurant; a unique hybrid of tantalizing, luxurious, and comfortable, there is no doubt that Mindy's is on par with several other divine miracles.

The Hot Chocolate Menu

What is it, you might ask, that makes their hot chocolate just so good? As a single sojourn to this chocolate oasis will reveal to you, Mindy's magic arises from its high-quality ingredients, exotic menu, and home-made touch. Any hot chocolate consumed on Mindy's premises is made with "fancy" chocolate, AKA high quality and high concentration cacao, and, of course, lotsa love.
The menu is rather incredible. If you're feeling traditional, you can opt for a classic hot chocolate or dark hot chocolate. If you are more on the adventurous side, the menu will indulge your risk taking with any combination of caffeine and chocolate, reinventing the mocha in mesmerizing ways. Their pumpkin hot chocolate offering summons the joy of the holiday season, and the Black and Tan feature is simply incredible. Think two thirds dark chocolate hot chocolate and one third fudge. Yeah. Major Yum. I recommend sharing one unless you have a sweet tooth the size of a teddy bear; but rest assured that even shared, Black and Tan will satisfy your darkest chocolately desires in the tastiest way possible!
Mindy's also likes to stress that everything on the premises is Mindy's-made. You can purchase paper bags full of various hot chocolate powders pharmacy-style, to enjoy them in the comfort of your home. If you visit, be sure to try the homemade marshmallows--they're delicious and dangerously sugary!
In short, I highly recommend visiting Mindy's, especially in the winter; nothing warms the heart like a divine cup of cocoa :)

The marshmallow. Can you see the marshmallow!!!!??????