The Inspiration T(H)REE

Each Wednesday -on the 3rd day of week- I share 3 inspirational photos. 

Those might be the photos of food, fashion, people, art or any view from my window... 

My aim is to create an inspiration tree for the week.

Let those photos inspire us to make
- our lives more colorful,
- our week more stress-free,
- our selves more productive, happy and full of love. 

This week, the inspiration comes from my passion for opera.
Last Saturday, we went to an outdoor opera event at the Millennium Park in Chicago.
Not only we listened great opera songs but also picnicked, enjoying the last summer nights of Chicago.

Let`s see the world as a big CUPCAKE;)

1) Jay Pritzker Pavillion at the Millennium Park 

has an amazing sound system that allows you to enjoy Lyric Opera`s performance

wherever you picnic at the park

2) We had everything we needed on the grass to enjoy a great selection of Opera Classics including 

Verdi`s `Va Pansiero` and entire fourth act of Bizet`s `Carmen`

Great food and wine (which I opted out this time due to pregnancy)

3) On our picnic towel, you can see what I am craving for recently:)

Trader Joe`s triple cream cheese, sea salt caramels (sweet and sour but more than yummy) and grapes

Have a Cupcake inspired Wednesday !!!

Cupcake Cuma

Uzun bir aradan sonra merhaba Cupcake`ler...
Bloga yazmayali tam 22 gun olmus. Twitter ve instagramdan iletisim halinde olsak da yorumlarinizi ozlemisim...
Umarim siz de beni ozlemissinizdir!!!

Son 3 hafta icerisinde sadece is ve ev degil ayni zamanda ulke de degistirince bloga zaman ayiramadim malesef.
Her ne kadar eski sehrim Chicagoya tasinsam da, ev bul yerles, sigorta, vergi islemlerini hallet, yeni ise alis, ders programini sunumlari hazirla derken haftalar gecti.

Sonunda bugun evime internet de bagladim. Evet tamamen ben bagladim:) Eve modemi, kablolari, gerekli bilgileri gonderiyorlar sen hallediyorsun.
Artik bloga yazmamak icin bahanem kalmadi:)

Is yogunlugu nedeniyle eskisi kadar yazamasam da Cupcake Carsamba yazilarini aksatmamaya calisacagim!
Cupcake sozu veriyorum:)

Bu arada, Chicagodaki Cupcake evimin ve ofisimin fotolari sizi bekliyor:)
Cupcake tadinda bir Cuma gunu diliyorum!!!

Yeni evimde ilk sabaha boyle bir manzarayla -en sevdigim yagmurla- uyandim :)

Sabahlari gozlerimi actigimda ilk gordugum `Chicago Tribune` binasi

Sanirim bir iletisimci icin en dogru adresdeyim :)

Ogrencilerim beni nerede bulacaklarini cok iyi biliyorlar!!!

Cupcake Ofisimde :)

 Ofiste Cupcake krema renklerinde bir Cuma gunu:)

The Inspiration T(H)REE

Each Wednesday -on the 3rd day of week- I share 3 inspirational photos. 

Those might be the photos of food, fashion, people, art or any view from my window... 

My aim is to create an inspiration tree for the week.

Let those photos inspire us to make
- our lives more colorful,
- our week more stress-free,
- our selves more productive, happy and full of love. 

This week, the inspiration comes from random Cupcake moments of my Chicago trip.

Let`s see the world as a big CUPCAKE;) 

1) window display of a Chicago patisserie

Cupcakes, Macarons, little birds and fine China...

all my favorite things come together here :)

2) CHIARoScURO is one of my favorite art shops in Chicago

Their motto is `art for more than just your walls`

You can find here anything (teapots, candles, earrings and so on) in the art form

I bet it is the most colorful art shop in the windy city :)

3) Loved those Cupcake-themed pencil cases

Sure, I will use them as makeup bags :)

Have a Cupcake inspired Wednesday !!!

Food for Friday #ff * SoupBox

This week`s Food for Friday #ff place is SoupBox from Chicago.

In Chicago whenever I want to eat something quick and healthy, SoupBox is the only place-to-go for me.

My hubby and I discovered this place on a cold winter day; 

but then it has become one of our favorite places of all seasons. 

This time, I visited SoupBox on a sunny spring day.

They serve 12 fresh soups everyday. It is like an heaven for the soup-lovers like me. 

No doubt that why SoupBox has been voted best in Chicago :)

SoupBox is located in a vintage building in downtown Chicago.

Address: 2943 N Broadway St
(between Oakdale Ave & Wellington Ave) 

It is difficult to miss SoupBox due to the huge soup cooker above the signplate :)

When you enter the SoupBox, a  great Chef welcomes you:)

And cookers full with delicious soups :)

Caution: they are hot !

It is really difficult to choose between 12 different flavors.

You can go easy with traditional flavors 

which are tomato cream and basil, cream of asparagus, hearty vegetables, cream of chicken and wild rice.

Or try something different such as New England Clam Chowder or Lobster Bisque.

My usual favorite at SoupBox is Broccoli and Cheddar soup.

But this time, I opted for traditional chicken noodles.

Soups are served with your choice of bread. 

I asked for multigrain bread.

HEALTHY HEALTHY !!

YUMMY YUMMY SOUP

Have a Cupcake sweet weekend !!!

The Inspiration T(H)REE

Each Wednesday -on the 3rd day of week- I share 3 inspirational photos. 

Those might be the photos of food, fashion, people, art or any view from my window... 

My aim is to create an inspiration tree for the week.

Let those photos inspire us to make
- our lives more colorful,
- our week more stress-free,
- our selves more productive, happy and full of love. 

This week, the inspiration comes from a fun and colorful brand: LittleMissMatched 

I just came across this brand while in Chicago and totally loved it !
They sell socks that do not match :)
They believe that matching is mundane and boring.
On the contrary, mixing is monumental and color is COOL :)

Here, you can buy socks in odd numbers. Or just buy a jar full with socks :)
Then decide which ones to wear ! So it`s up to your creativity how to mix your socks.

And they also sell SMELLY socks :)
They have sweetly scented socks. My favorites are vanilla and floral scented ones.

LittleMissMatched also started to `think outside the sock`.
In addition to socks, now they create tshirts, accessories, pijamas, flip flops and so on.

Loved the motto of LittleMissMatched:
You can be a kid forever. Be BOLD,  Fashion is FUN !

Let`s see the world as a big CUPCAKE;)

1) As you imagine, my favorite ones are the Cupcake Socks :)

2) Marvelous Ice Cream Knee High Socks

They are Vanilla scented :) So yummy...

3) Colorful Over The Knee Socks

Have a Cupcake inspired Wednesday !!!

Magnolia Bakery

Tell the girls that I am back in town :) 

As usual I did not finish my trip without eating Cupcakes !!!

This time I guess I was more than lucky

and tasted the Cupcakes at Magnolia Bakery where the 1990s `Cupcake craze` has been started

Sex and the City fans would understand what I mean, right ???

After the busy scheduled Chicago NATO Summit, I awarded myself with yummy Cupcakes

@Magnolia Bakery Chicago

Let`s start with the decoration photos from inside the Bakery

This place looks like my dream kitchen : 1950s kitchen style patisserie

Old, simple and colorful vintage touch interior

and yes I definitely want to see this cabinet in my kitchen !

 You can also buy Cupcake themed aprons here :)

OK, now it`s time to look at the Cupcakes !!!

Which one to choose ???

Pastel colored ones or the Lemon Cupcakes ?

What about the Hummingbird Cupcakes ?

I will skip them this time

Bananas, pineapple, pecans with cream-cheese icing is too sweet for my taste :)

S`mores Cupcakes sounds fun !

 I have decided to go for the classic one: Red Velvet Cupcakes

And yes, I felt like Carry Bradshaw :)

And I enjoyed my Cupcake at my favorite place in Chicago 

across the Chicago skyline reflection at the Cloud Gate

Have a weekend as sweet as the Red Velvet Cupcakes!

Greetings from Chicago

Hi Cupcakes!

Greetings from Chicago:)

I am in the windy city to have a summit as you see from the video!

I will not be able to post on my blog for a couple of days...

Until then, stay as sweet as Cupcakes :)

Snow in Chicago * Şikagoda Kar

We woke up to a white morning in Ankara at the first day of 2012. 
I already shared those photos on Twitter. 
This reminded me Chicago blizzard in 2011. Here are the photos of snow in Chicago. 
But do not be afraid. Chicago is also great during summer.  
And stay tuned for my `summer by the lake in Chicago` post;)

      *           *           * 

2012nin ilk gününe Ankarada lapa lapa kar ile `günaydın` dedik. 

Fotoğrafları Twitterda CupcakeHayatlar olarak paylaştım. Twitter hesabımda daha çok o gün yaşadıklarımı, aklıma gelenleri, güncel konu ve olayları paylaşıyorum. Blog ise daha geniş kapsamlı zamana yayılan konular için. 

Yoksa siz Twitterda CupcakeHayatlar`ı takip etmiyor musunuz? Takip için hemen tıktık.

Bugün geçen senenin Şikagoda kar fotolarını paylaşıyorum. Sakın bu kar gözünüzü korkutmasın. 

Yaz gelsin göl kıyısında Şikago yazları nasıl keyifli yazıcam;)

Cupcake Hayatlar

Cupcake Hayatlar

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Cupcake New Year House

For the New Year, we just decorated a small corner at our house.
If you have not seen my previous post, it is just here.

I admire people who also decorate outside of their homes with twinkling lights.
Loved this Chicagoan house which has a glittered front yard.

You do not need to enter this house to feel the joy and happiness.
It is all there right in front of your eyes. Enjoy;)

And do not forget to share and spread your Cupcake holiday cheer!!!

Cupcake Hayatlar

Cupcake Hayatlar

Cupcake Hayatlar