Chicago, No Kids, Days 2 and 3

Today, we wandered around the city and the parks some more, checking out the Grant Park Fountain and the Gehry bridge.








We were on our way to see art--specifically, the Jeff Koons exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary Art. We couldn't take any pictures of that (no cameras allowed), but Ben snapped a few of other interesting things.





On the way back, we were hungry and thirsty, so we stopped into a little bar we just happened to see, called the Rush Street Grill, for a snack (steak salad, one of Ben's favorites) and a couple of drinks. Then, we strolled back over the river and back to the hotel for a catnap.






Later, we took a cab to meet my friends, Jane, Jamie, and Cheryl. They live in Chicago but I hardly ever see them. Because that's how life goes when you have kids. And since on this trip, we have no kids...We had a great dinner at The Spot, which is part Cheryl's restaurant/bar, then Ben and I hung around until late-late, drinking and listening to the great music upstairs with Cheryl (Jane and Jamie, who were not kid-free this weekend, had to go home). Then, Cheryl took us over to the Green Mill to hear good jazz, but alas, the band was already done for the evening. She also took us to this other place...but I have to admit that I don't even remember where it was. It was really late. We'd had a lot of drinks. As the sun was coming up, we headed back to our hotel. So great to see you guys again!!





>On our final day in Chicago, we went to the Art Institute of Chicago, which was free that afternoon (since we didn't get home until the wee hours of the morning, we didn't get up until afternoon). We spent a long time looking at art, then had a fabulous tapas dinner at Mercat a la Planxa, right near our hotel.










After dinner, we wandered around the big fountain in the dark, watching the light show. We left the next morning for home, happily fulfilled and feeling like real-life adults after our kid-free trip. Hey, maybe we should do this more often.

Chicago, No Kids Allowed

This July, when the kids went off to Camp Wapsie, Ben and I decided to take a trip, all by ourselves. (This picture, above, is us reflected in "The Bean.") But wait--a trip that had nothing to do with work or family? Are we completely insane? Yes, we are! We managed a whole weekend in Chicago. Without a computer. (O.K., I did have my Blackberry.)




We drove, borrowing my parents' Garmin. We timed it so the traffic wasn't so bad, and arrived at the Congress Hotel in the afternoon. This is right across from Grant Park and just a few blocks from Millenium park, so we stopped in the hotel bar for a drink (the bar was interesting, covered in copper), then wandered around the city for awhile. We always enjoy the spitting fountain in Millenium Park, the interesting scrunched-up Gehry architecture (we still aren't sure whether or not we like it), and of course, taking funky pictures of ourselves reflected in "The Bean."












Using the trusty Garmin in "pedestrian" mode, we wandered in the direction of dinner, at Rick Bayless's famous Frontera Grill. I have always wanted to go here. I'm a big fan. We had to wait, but the wait was worth it (made easier by amazing appetizers and pretty-good margaritas).







After dinner, guess who we saw??? Yes! (For you non-foodies, this is Rick Bayless, standing behind me. If the staff hadn't told us he was not working and trying to have a nice quiet dinner with his wife, I SO would have asked for his autograph!)

After leaving Frontera, full and satisfied, we meandered over to Andy's jazz club. We had a good time, even if we didn't care much for the band, which I thought was boring. (So I won't mention their names.)