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Neurotic As Hell

Choosing Figs Blog

May 4, 2015
in Chicago Life, food

I've been home for six months. Six months in Chicago. I haven't even taken a vacation in that time. No flights, no weekend getaways, nothing. It's hard to believe, really. Sometimes it feels like I came home ages ago. Sometimes it feels like just yesterday. And, sometimes, it feels like I've never traveled at all. There are a lot of times where I wish I could just pick up again and move to Thailand or Colombia or travel around Africa or road trip the US. But, for now, I'm here. And I'm finally starting to feel "here." I have my apartment that's slowly...

April 13, 2015
in Apartment, Bathroom, decorating

If you've watched as many home decorating/real estate/DIY shows as I have you've surely come across an episode where a homeowner encounters a pink bathroom. And you can probably guess what's coming next. The homeowner opens the door, eyes widen, eyebrows raise, and the side of the lip stretches back. "No," accompanied by a throaty laugh is usually the first words out of his or her mouth. And then the realtor or contractor assures them it can be painted, it can be renovated, it can be masked. So you can also, probably, imagine my reaction when I was looking for an apartment,...

April 9, 2015
in Chicago Life, food, theatre

My March could be summed up in one concept: moving. I moved into my apartment. I moved in all my stuff. I bought more stuff and moved that in too. I unpacked all my boxes. I hung up some curtains. I hung up some art. I rearranged the few items of furniture I actually have. I bought a shelving unit for my kitchen and thought it was a great idea to carry it home on the el. It wasn't....

March 17, 2015
in Chicago Life, St. Patrick's Day

I've never been big on St. Patrick's Day. It's just never been my thing. Even in college, when most of my peers were waking up at the crack of dawn to ditch class and drink green beer at "unofficial," I was diligently sober in class. I really don't know how I've avoided it for so long. I mean, Chicago celebrates St. Patrick's Day pretty hard. So much so that people I've met who are actually from Ireland have told me that they hope to celebrate here some day. But I've never passed out or puked on a Wrigleyville bar crawl. I've never...

March 12, 2015
in relationships

Speed dating is still a thing. Apparently. I mean, I know it was a big thing in 2003, maybe, before all this internet dating came about. But in an age of OK Cupid and Tinder, where you don’t even have to leave your couch to meet a man, where all you have to do to find someone interested in you is swipe one little index finger right, actually having forced conversations with a room full of strangers in a public place just seems like an anomaly....

March 4, 2015
in Apartment, Bathroom, Bedroom, Dining Room, Hallway, Kitchen, Living Room

For the past four months I've been neither here nor there. At the end of October, after over three years of living nomadically, I "finished" my travels, flew back to Chicago on a one-way ticket, and accepted a full-time job. But, in the four months since, I haven't really been "here." Not yet. I was living in a friend's spare bedroom. I was living off of a designated shelf in the cupboard, a designated shelf in the fridge, a borrowed bed, a borrowed pillow, a borrowed towel. All of my things were still in storage at my mom's. I couldn't join a...

March 2, 2015
in Apartment, Chicago Life, food, Valentine's Day

February was a tough month. I spent most of the 28 days working, even on weekends where I worked anywhere from an extra hour or two to an extra twelve. And one of my best friends moved way. And didn't say goodbye. And hasn't talked to me since. And I've had to, more and more, come to the realization that maybe he was never a friend at all. Sigh. I'm just exhausted from it all. Anyways, here are a few of the things I got up to in February when I wasn't working or crying into my pillow...

February 3, 2015
in Apartment, Living Room, shopping

Now that I've found an apartment it's time to start concentrating on what really matters: finding a couch. I know what you're going to say: "Just look on Craigslist." Or, alternately, "Just go to IKEA." And what you mean to say is, "Just get something cheap." Because, to you, maybe a couch isn't that important. But, here's the thing, I've been dreaming of buying my own couch since before I ever dreamed of traveling the world. And, while I was traveling, I'd often window shop online, lusting after what was out there, dreaming of someday decorating an apartment exactly how I've always...

February 1, 2015
in Chicago Life, goals, Resolutions

It’s easy to make New Years resolutions and then promptly forget about them. Everyone is gung ho about going to the gym on January 1 but come January 31 it’s all Netflix and excuses. Or maybe that’s just me. Personally, despite every good intention I may have had, I lost about 1 pound in January. I tried cutting down on calories but instead I ate way too much chocolate. As usual. And I thought about buying a Groupon for some fitness classes but then a nasty cold had me doing nothing but taking DayQuil and passing out. And I thought...

January 28, 2015
in Chicago Life, food, restaurants

If you haven't noticed: I like to eat. I pretty much live for my next meal. And, yes, yes I am one of those girls who refuses to start eating (or let anyone touch communal food) until I have properly instagrammed it. I hope that doesn't turn you off from dining with me. Or from following me on instagram. Because I totally need more people to dine with. And to follow me on Instagram. So you should totally do both. I'm trying to make it a goal this year to finally go out and eat at all the places in Chicago...

Choosing Figs


© Choosing Figs / Val Bromann
2006 –
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