minichill feelings

Ladies, raise your hand if you like to smell nice. Tap the Shift key if you like to smell nice without the whole room smelling you before they see you. Now press the space bar if you like to smell nice without being loud, and don't want to go broke in the process. I, for one, love all of the above. I'm flattered when I reach out to hug someone or walk by a person, and they stop me to ask "What is that you have on?" with a look of approval. There are so many items at regular drug stores that a woman can buy to smell delicious without spending a wad of cash while clearing people's sinuses.

Perfumes: Women spend hundred of dollars on perfume that is out of style within months. Why don't we ever buy knock-off perfumes? Companies like Parfums de Coeur specialize in making your favorite perfume for a price you can afford. From high school to mid-college, I wore Fly With Me perfume faithfully and got plenty of attention from brothas. Fly With Me is a knock-off version of Escape® perfume and smells the same. Quite a few guys stopped me on the street and asked me what I was wearing. Besides loving the attention, I enjoyed the fragrance as well. This company sells everything from body fantasies, skin musks, designer imposters, and juice bar items.
And even if you're not interested in knock-off perfumes or can't find your brand for a cheaper price, try out specialty stores, specifically women's stores like Bath and Body Works and Victoria's Secret. A couple years ago, I went on my usual bra shopping expedition to Victoria's Secret and passed by the fragrance section. Feeling experimental, I sprayed a touch of Heavenly perfume on my wrist and fell in love. The perfume ranges from $39 to $52, but the body spray was only $15. Just like that, my five-year favorite, Fly With Me, was dumped and in walked Heavenly. Even if you're not really into body spray, Victoria's Secret has body washes that are between $15 and $20. Same smell. Cheaper. It may not last as long, but same effect.

Body Wash: Everybody likes feeling refreshed after they've taken a shower, so why not feel clean and smell even better? There are plenty of body wash choices that can be bought at regular drug stores like Walgreens, Walmart, Kmart, Target, and Osco Drug. My favorites include Adidas body washes like Aloe Vera body wash for women and Citrus Oil body wash for women. Aloe vera is already a great moisturizer for skin, and it has a subtle, soothing scent to it. Two other scents that smell really delicious but aren't too strong are Dial's Soy & Almond Milk and Dial's Lavender & Twilight Jasmine. You can buy body washes like this for under $5, and if you shop at discount stores regularly, as cheap as $3. Check the weekly coupon books for deals on coupons and rebates.

Lotion: I'm partial to anything with aloe vera in it, specifically because I have very dry skin. Vaseline aloe vera lotion is always on my bathroom sink. As much as I like smell-good perfumes and body washes, I'm not big on scented lotion (minus Victoria's Secret Heavenly's glimmer lotion). But if you are, even specialty stores like Fashion Bug sell scented lotion, along with the regular scent stores like Bath and Body Works, where you can find 8 oz. lotion for $5. Bath and Body Works is always having some kind of clearance or sale. Be careful of lotions that are too fruity though. I once wore Juice Bar's Cotton Candy lotion and ended up with 43 mosquito bites in a month. That was the worst summer ever. I couldn't go outside because I kept getting bitten, and it took me awhile to figure out why so many mosquitoes were killing my arms and legs. Aloe vera is a great ingredient in lotion because it smells wonderful, moisturizes, and kills bugs all at the same time. You ever wonder why so many mosquito repellents come with aloe vera added?

Whatever you choose to wear, just make sure that the smell compliments you and your checking account. No sense in smelling great if you can't afford to go anywhere and let others enjoy.






Pizza, pasta and pepperoni, oh, my! If you’re like me and you love Italian food, but want more of a down-to-earth place with very reasonable prices, then have I got some secret spots to share with you.

Dino’s Pizzeria
7004 W Higgins Ave
Chicago, IL 60656
773-763-4077

Dino's has to be one of the best treasures on the Northwest side. Excellent food, friendly staff and a large dining area complete with a killer jukebox and an adjoining bar and beer garden. I highly recommend their Wednesday special which includes a large order of pasta with meatballs or sausage, soup and salad , all for the super low price of $6.99. You can also get a ‘buy one/get one’ deal on pizza. Mmmmmm, PIZZA!! You may also enjoy their football sized beef sandwiches hearty enough for the biggest jocks.

Amici Ristorante
7620 N Milwaukee Ave
Niles, IL 60714
847-967-0606

Many locals enjoy visiting this authentic and charming restaurant. The food is prepared fresh, with quality olive oil, real tomatoes, and a lot of homemade touches. The menu is extensive and includes everything from pasta, chicken, steak, seafood and great appetizers. They do catering and serve lunch and dinner. On a recent visit, my family and I (about 7 of us) all had a great meal. Everything we tried was excellent. We had the lasagne, angel hair, meatballs, stuffed eggplant parm and we were all very happy. The cream of tomato rice soup and the turtle dessert were also winners with this happy clan!

Joe’s Pizza
5747 W Higgins Ave
Chicago, IL 60630
773-685-2301

A very special place to me. Great food, warm and welcoming staff and always-reliable delivery service. The pizza and pasta are excellent and one of my fave foods around. They also have a great chicken parmesan dinner that comes with salad and side of pasta for under $10. The dining area is really cute and comfy with pix on the walls of everyone from old-time movie stars and the 3 Stooges (nyuk nyuk) to classic films and legendary icons

Mama Luna’s Pizza and Pasta
5109 W Fullerton Ave
Chicago, IL 60639
773-637-6553

After years of ordering in, I decided to check out the restaurant live and in person. Wow , was I in for a treat. We were greeted by a sweet lady (possibly Mama herself?) who knew we hadn't been there before so she went out of her way to make us feel like we were either famous or family! The dining room was lovely, and the food was wonderful. We tried the pizza and pasta and both kept us happy and talking for days. Go and visit Mama and you will not be disappointed.

Father & Son Pizza
2475 N Milwaukee Ave
Chicago, IL 60647
773-252-2620

This place is such a sentimental favorite of mine. My family used to take me here when I was just a baby, and I still love it to this day. I went here a couple weeks ago and had a great time. They have a five cheese and tomato gourmet pizza that was excellent. I also had the Italian salad which was big enough for two. The broasted chicken with potatoes is also very good.





Energy Drinks
Energy Drink
Energy Drinks
Energy Drink