MSI After Hours: Naughty or Nice

I absolutely love that Chicago has a number of fun events going on around the city all year long. I listen to NPR's Chicago station WBEZ all day long at work, while I love keeping up with the news I also love hearing about special events. When I heard that the Museum of Science and Industry had an event for only adults from the hours of 7pm-10pm, I was instantly interested. With my love of museums and the holidays coming up this was a perfect event. Plus I thought it would be a good idea to go back after years of not going, this was one of my favorite Chicago museums from my childhood.

The huge Christmas Tree in the main hall

My boyfriend and I attended the MSI After Hours: Naught or Nice event, the tickets were $30 a person which was a deal to the normal price of a $54 adult ticket that included the same exhibits that we had access to. The $30 ticket included one complementary drink, appetizers, free underground parking, a DJ all night, pictures with Santa and access to the majority of the exhibits. There were only 2 exhibits closed that night, but the rest were free to the adults to relive their inner child. I recommend seeing the museum during the holiday seasons, the decorations are gorgeous! They do something called Christmas Around the World, the museum decorates trees for a number of different countries and explain if they celebrate differently. My boyfriend and I had to take one in front of the tree for Mexico, lets just say I want to decorate my tree like that, I fell in love with it!

In front of the Mexican Christmas Tree

My STRONG Tequila Sunrise, what happens when you tip your bartender

It was such a fun time exploring the exhibits with a drink in my hand. Dancing in the main hall to Sean Paul, thanks to DJ Jesse De La Pena. The people watching was the best during this event as well. Imagine a bunch of drunk adults, young and old exploring an interactive museum.

A Christmas Tree ice sculpture 

The original Jewel grocery store, I never knew it was originally a tea shop?!

The Chicago Skyline make out of blocks

In the hall of airplanes 

In the Numbers In Nature: Mirror Maze 

Museum of Science and Industry

5700 South Lake Sore Drive

Chicago, IL 60637

We had so much fun at the event, and we will be looking into more events like this. Thank you to WBEZ by announcing it on the radio and thank you to the Museum of Science and Industry for making events like this, were we can let loose and have the run of the place without worrying about children. It was honestly a memorable night, I can't wait till the next one! Have any of you attended fun after hours events like this?

Con Amor,

Adriana

My First Time Using DietBet

I always like to trying new things regarding my health. While scrolling through Instagram I came across many fitness accounts posting about DietBet. I looked into it through their website and it seemed very simple, along with a possibility of winning money to pay off student loans, thought I would give it a try.

How it works is that you go on their website or down load their app. All you need is a scale (perferably a digital scale), a smartphone or a digital camera, and a full length mirror or someone to take your picture for you. There are a number of games going on at once, you have a choice of the following kind:

• Kickstarter: You bet the amount the game says, it can be as little as $30, the money gets put in a pot, and you have 4 weeks to loose 4% of your starting weight. 
• Transformer: You bet the amount for the pot and have 6 months to loose 10% of your starting weight. 
• Maintainer: You bet the certain amount for the winning pot, the difference about this one is that you have to maintain your weight over a course of 1 year. They do give you room for fluctuation for this one which is 2% weight gain or a 4% weight loss. 

When you first join you have to sign up with them, they as for your basic information like name and email address. You can also upload your picture if you would like to make it a little more personal. You end up choosing your game and put your bet in by credit card. You will have to do a weigh in when you start, they will send you a "weigh in word" mine was "chives". You will put that word on a piece of paper and place it next to the numbers on the scale, along with a photo of yourself on the scale. The DietBet website will review it and let you know when it has been accepted. At the end of the game you have up to 48 hours to weigh in with the same idea of the weigh in from when you started. If you are interested in looking into more of their rules they are listed on their website in every game.

Along your month long weight loss journey you will be a part of a tribe who is on the same journey as you. I found this to be comforting and motivating, like they say you are more successful with support or being involved in a team. There will be people posting their struggles, workout ideas, asking for help or advice, their meal ideas, or posting some motivation. You have the choice to do un-official weigh ins along the way, I did and it helped to show how many more pounds I had to go by pounds and percentage. 

The picture above is the view of your game page showing progress and the standings of all of the people that are involved. I started with Fatgirlfedup's Fall Fight for Fit HallowLEAN. As you can see there were 4,499 players with a $135,000 pot! This was a screenshot of the end of the game, so unfortunately I did not make my goal. I was only 1.4 pounds away from my goal but I am proud of the changes I have made and the weight, so in reality I lost the challenge but I won so much more. I don't eat out as much unless its date night or a lunch meeting for work. My meal prepping has gotten better and my bank account has a little bit more money due to the positive changes. 

I recommend this to anyone who is trying to loose weight, it is not impossible but it is hard work. This will not be my last DietBet, I cannot wait to start my next one and I will try my hardest to win my part of the pot. I hope that this can be a possible tool for those of you who would like a healthier lifestyle. Plus who doesn't like to win a little money along with loosing weight? 

Con Amor,

Adriana

 

Halloween & Dia De Los Muertos in the Pilsen Neighborhood

The older I get the more I appreciate the Chicago neighborhoods that embrace and remind me of my second home, Mexico. I have fond memories of eating food from the street food carts selling everything you can imagine as well as walking up and down 26th Street in La Villita, Now that I am older, I find myself returning to the Pilsen Neighborhood over and over again.

Brew-ja Crawl

On August 20, 2017 my boyfriend and I attend Pilsen Fest for the first time. It is a free event that is filled with the beautiful Mexican culture. You can find amazing food, great music and beautiful art at this festival. The wonderful part is that everyone is welcome, there is no cover but they do ask for a donation at the entrance. When we left that evening we were given a flyer for their 2nd annual Brew-ja Crawl. We enjoy a good time that includes drinking in costumes, so we were sold. 

The Brew-ja Crawl was on a chilly Saturday afternoon. This was a fundraiser for the Pilsen neighborhood so the community can still enjoy the Pilsen Fest every summer. The crawl consisted of 10 bars and breweries in the Pilsen Neighborhood. There were trolleys running from 12pm-6pm for the bars that were a little farther away. They gave you a map and tickets at check in, you ended up with 10 tickets one ticket per bar for a free beer. So trolley rides, free beer, people watching and having a memorable afternoon all for $30, you really can't ask for more. 

We met up at Yvolina's Tamales, because who doesn't like tamales before starting a beer crawl? We already ate breakfast but our friend Karen ordered a Chorizo Tamale with a delicious mole sauce on it. I will have to go back one day when I have a bigger appetite for tamales. Plus they have Vegan options for those of you who cannot have meat.

We were one of the firsts to check in and got a little treat to go with our beers. 

It was so much fun seeing everyone's costumes, I have come to the realization that adults really have more fun with their costumes than kids do. Our group was dressed up as Frida Kahlo, Mariachis and Wednesday Adams. 

While I am not a beer drinker and I was not a fan of any of them, I still had a blast! The people watching was honestly the best, I mean how can you not enjoy seeing people with crazy costumes running down 18th Street in Chicago? You will find some photos below of the different places we ended up making it to.

 The Drink Menu at Moody Tongue

 Where they keep all the beer nice and cold at Lo-Rez Brewing

My delicious Paloma at Twisted Cantina 

I honestly had so much fun, that I am planning to go again next year. There is also good news for those who are spirit drinkers such as myself, they have a Cantina Crawl in May. The Cantina Crawl are for those who enjoy the spirit based drinks rather than beer, that is more after my own heart. I heard there were drinks with mezcal last year, so you know I won't be missing it. I hope to see many of you there too! 

Dia De Los Muertos

Every year the National Museum of Mexican Art puts on an event for Dia de los Muertos called Dia de los Muertos Xicago. I think it is very special to put on an event like this so everyone can learn about this beautiful and important Holiday. It was freezing this year so I didn't stick around for very long like I did last year. 

Once again it is a free event and great event to attend. They have a handful of food vendors near the entrance of the museum. The organizers very beautifully place marigolds and candles all around the building. It gives it a perfect touch for simple decorations. Below are two pieces of art from last year's exhibit. 

There are different bands for entertainment during the event. You can also go into the National Museum of Mexican Art for free, they have a beautiful and interesting display for Dia de los Muertos, I recommend taking advantage of it. The line may look long but goes fast. If you end up going on any other day, there is always free admission to the National Museum of Mexican Art. 

Many families make ofrendas for their loved ones who have passed on, and they are honestly beautiful to see. You will see a large field filled with the beautiful memories of their loved ones. The organization also gives everyone an opportunity to upload a picture of their family member who has passed away and have a slot in their slide show. I submitted my grandparent's photo, but unfortunately the photo never came up, hopefully next year they will be shown. 

This is a great event for the family and friends a like. You can learn so much about the 2 day long holiday, and maybe even have a comfort that we are never alone when we lose someone. We all have or will go through it one day, and it is beautiful to see that memories live on forever. 

If you're ever in the Chicago area I recommend making a trip to the Lower West Side and check out the Pilsen Neighborhood. I hope all of you are able to experience Halloween weekend in the Pilsen Neighborhood at least once, because I had a wonderful time and cannot wait to experience it next year.

Con Amor,

Adriana