Friday, April 29, 2011

Daily Yummi: SMASHBURGER!

137 N Weber Rd
Bolingbrook, IL 60440
(630) 759-2781
www.smashburger.com

So I FINALLY got a chance to eat at Smashburger yesterday, and it was well worth the wait!

When we arrived at the restaurant, the parking lot was packed so we thought we would have to wait for our food for a long time.  My sister Jillian - who has eaten here on multiple occasions since the restaurant opened - told me that on busy days, she has had to wait for almost half an hour for her food, but that's not surprising for a hot new restaurant in a suburban town.  Luckily, our food came out within 7-8 minutes as promised =].  They also have one of the cool new 100-flavor Coca Cola machines!  Unfortunately I didn't get to snap a picture, but I think they're an awesome invention and EVERY restaurant should have one.

HUGE menu (there was another menu board on the side)
Smashburger has a HUGE menu for a burger joint.  In addition to burgers, they also serve Smashchickens (chicken sandwiches, obviously), Smashsides, Smashdogs & polish sausages, Smashsalads, and for dessert, they offer Haagen-Dazs specialties!  I appreciate that they also give you the option to build your own Smashburger or Smashchicken with a variety of buns, cheeses, sauces & dressings, toppings, and other add-ons (fried eggs, chili, fried pickles, etc.).  I can't wait to put fried pickles on my burger next time...


I opted for the Windy City burger: layers of melted cheddar cheese, haystack onions, lettuce, tomato, and Gulden's mustard on a PRETZEL BUN.  I also ordered some Smashfries on the side, which are tossed in rosemary, olive oil, and garlic.  I was not disappointed...and I definitely "smashed" my Smashburger (ha...ha...ha...).

Compared to other burger chains that have recently opened in the suburbs (i.e. Five Guys), I really liked the large amount of seating available and the ambience of the entire place.  Once the weather is FINALLY warmer on a consistent basis, Smashburger also has a nice patio area for outdoor dining.

You can order online at participating locations, so make sure you check out their website!  In addition to their Batavia, Bolingbrook, & Schaumburg locations, Smashburger will be opening new restaurants in Darien, Oak Lawn, and Arlington Heights in the near future.

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Review: Suave Professionals Touchable Finish Hairspray (Lightweight Hold & Extra Hold)

True story: I haven't used any Suave hair products since my childhood years.  In fact, I'm not a huge fan of drugstore hair products in general, just because I've never been satisfied with the results.  Call me a hair product snob, but my thick, dry, wavy hair needs some extra loving to look its finest.

However, I think I've found a new line of drugstore hair products to change my mind...

Suave has recently revamped their Suave Professionals line with products that are "salon proven" to be comparable to higher-end salon brands such as Sebastian, Matrix, Redken, Rene Furterer, etc.  I spotted the new line at my Walgreens and picked up two bottles of the Touchable Finish Hairspray in Lightweight Hold and Extra Hold (around $3.00 each, available at drugstores, supermarkets, Target, etc.).

I figured that I would use the Lightweight Hold hairspray for my unruly bangs because I didn't want them to feel too crunchy.  Even after running around for hours at work, at the end of the day my bangs have stayed in place!  My hair still feels very manageable and "touchable" (as the product promises), and I do find the results similar to the Sebastian Re-Shaper hairspray.  However, the Suave Professionals hairspray does have an added plus: no white residue after brushing!

As of late I've been curling my hair for some special occasions, and I thought it was the perfect time to put the Extra Hold hairspray to the test.  I'm glad to say that I'm very satisfied with the results!  Although my curls are somewhat relaxed by the end of the day, they still have shape and definition without any crunchiness.  I would say that it definitely gives my beloved Rusk W8Less Plus hairspray a run for its money...and that's a big statement.

I'm excited to test more products from the new Suave Professionals line!  Some of them are a little hard to find, so keep an eye out because you don't want to miss out on these drugstore gems =]

Monday, April 25, 2011

An Awesome Groupon Deal: The Body Shop!


Groupon has an AMAZING deal today for The Body Shop: $20 for $40 (or $45 if redeemed by May 30) worth of skincare, bath, and beauty products!  If you've never tried any products from The Body Shop, I would highly consider purchasing this Groupon and picking up any of their super moisturizing and fragrant Body Butters, hand creams, lotions, scrubs, moisturizing sticks, etc.  Also, don't forget to check out their beauty line for some wonderful blushes, brushes, and lip products.

The Groupon can be used in conjunction with any of their sales, and if you REALLY love The Body Shop, you can purchase up to 3 Groupons for yourself!

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Daily Yummi: Eggs, Inc.

278 S. Weber Road
Bolingbrook, IL 60440
www.eggsincorporated.com
A couple new brunch spots have popped up in my little suburban town, including the Portillo's-owned Honey Jam Cafe and Eggs, Inc.  My brunch buddy Rowie (check out her blog!) and I ate at another Honey Jam Cafe location a couple months back, so we decided to give Eggs, Inc. a try...


You have no idea how long I've been waiting for a decent brunch spot to open up in Bolingbrook!  After being spoiled by all the delicious brunch choices during my time in the city, I definitely needed something in the suburbs to fill that void.  Eggs, Inc. has a very extensive menu to satisfy all of your cravings, whether you're coming in for breakfast, brunch, or lunch.  There were a couple items on the menu that I know I will absolutely have to try on future visits.


Rowie and I came in on a rainy Tuesday morning and we were warmly greeted by our waiter as soon as we stepped in the restaurant.  A member of the staff (who I'm guessing might have been the owner) saw that we brought our cameras and even offered to take a number of pictures of us!  The restaurant wasn't very busy because it was a weekday morning, but I'm happy to say that we were served our meals very promptly.

Photo Credit: Rowena Paderanga

Of course, I had to order my usual biscuits & gravy =] and I also ordered a chicken skillet.  I'd never had a chicken skillet before, so I thought it was worth a try.


The biscuits and gravy were delicious, and the chicken skillet was better than I expected.  The chicken was very tender, moist, and lean, and they cooked my eggs perfectly over-medium.

I can't wait to try their Nutella Crepes!  You can also order their whole menu to-go, so check out the menu on their website =]

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Daily Yummi: Walgreens Won't Stop Feeding Me - Potbelly, Lou Malnati's, & Shinto

I'm currently training for a brand new Walgreens store in the suburbs, and when I say "brand new", I mean BRAND NEW.  When you first walk into this store, I guarantee that you will not think it is a Walgreens.  It's the third of its kind in the entire nation, so I definitely feel blessed and honored to be hand-picked as an employee for one of these stores.

Walgreens training sessions = CATERED FOOD!  In the past month or so, the company has been fattening me up with Potbelly, Panera, and Lou Malnati's, and my pharmacy manager has spoiled me with Cheesecake Factory and Shinto sushi!  Luckily this Special K diet that I've been trying out allows me to have one regular meal a day, or else I'd be very unsuccessful.





Saturday, April 9, 2011

A Quick Usher-Related Post...

I'm seeing Usher in concert AGAIN next month!  9th row, baby!  WOOOOOOOOO =]

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Did You Receive Your Target Beauty Bag?


A couple of weeks ago I blogged about a free Target beauty bag, and mine finally came in! Some of my girlfriends were telling me that they already received theirs, so I was getting anxious...


I've seen larger versions of the Sonia Kashuk makeup bag in Target stores, but this one is perfect for my purse.  I can't wait to use all the samples!  The $25 coupon book has some great savings too, so I hope you signed up to receive yours =]

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

My Summertime Red: OPI Guy Meets Gal-Veston

I'm a huge fan of bright red nail polish, especially during the warmer months.  Although the heat wave hasn't hit Chicago yet, I think I've already found my favorite red nail polish for this summer!

I know for a fact that there are only a few red nail polishes that suit my undertones: bluish-red nail polishes (along with lipsticks in the same color family) definitely do not work in my favor.  During a recent trip to Ulta, I naturally gravitated towards a new red nail polish in OPI's Spring/Summer 2011 Texas Collection, Guy Meets Gal-Veston ($8.50).

OPI has always been my nail polish of choice.  The large brush and long handle makes application extremely easy for me because I have very long fingers.  With a good base coat and top coat, it usually takes my OPI polishes a couple days of wear to show any signs of chipping.  Unfortunately I wasn't able to take any good photos until two days after I did my nails, and I'd say they still look pretty good after two whole days!

These pictures definitely do not do this color justice, so if you're looking for the perfect summertime red, give this one a try =]. Don't forget to use those coupons at Ulta and watch out for their "Buy 2, Get 1 Free" sales on OPI!

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Daily Yummi: Fuddruckers!

Fuddruckers is my all-time favorite burger restaurant.

No, I've never tried Kuma's Corner - but even if I did, in my heart, it could never take the place of Fuddruckers.  As a child, my family would frequent the Fuddruckers on 75th & Lemont Rd. in Darien on a regular basis; unfortunately, that location closed about a year ago, so today we ate at one of the last standing Illinois establishments in Downers Grove.

Prime burger (cooked medium) with pepper jack cheese, bacon, & mushrooms
on a toasted, buttered bun with french fries & onion rings

I have SO MANY memories at Fuddruckers, including playing with my brother in the arcade, buying stickers from the vending machines, picking out treats from their bakery, etc. etc.  It was also my grandfather's last request meal in Chicago before he left and passed away in California =[ (RIP Ama)

It's definitely a family restaurant, and it will always be one of my favorites.