The girls' weekend in Chicago was almost a year ago now-well April 2008-so why am I doing the photoblog tonight? Well, I was reminded of my time in Chicago (Elmhurst to be exact) by a conversation with Alana today. We were talking about my hair-no surprise-and she asked me when it was exactly that I asked her to chop it all off. I had to think about it for a bit, and the only thing I could come up with was the fact that I still had my long hair when I worked in DC two years ago-
but I couldn't remember whether I had it when working on the special project in Elmhurst a year later. I came home to check on the photographic evidence, and just for the record, we cut my hair sometime between spring 2007 and spring 2008. Personally I think it was at the end of the summer, because I remember being SO TIRED of the frikken ponytail I could just scream. Seeing Agness Dynes's hair
inspired me to chop it all off, including making the back super short so there would be NO CHANCE or need for a ponytail. Now of course I didn't look like Agness Deyn but she was the inspiration.
Sorry I don't know how this became about my hair-on to Chicago-
Before I went on this special assignment I thought I would be able to just hop on the train and hang out in Chicago on a whim; haha-little did I know that I'd be working 9 or 10 hours a day and flying back and forth every weekend-exhausting. At the end of the day it was back to the hotel room-the local mall was about as far as I went at night. So a weekend in Chicago had to be just that-instead of flying home, my BFF Pat and her sister Sara, who I've known just as long, would fly out from Philly and Detroit areas, and meet me for a girls' weekend to include a Cubs game.
The weekend came and of course the weather was ridiculous; I made it in from the suburbs but spent Friday night alone in the hotel room; Pat was stuck at the Philly airport and Sara never even made it to the airport (Sara my memory is sketchy about exactly what happened, so correct me if I'm wrong, that is if you ever come over from Facebook!).
A couple shots of the view from the hotel room
Pat finally arrived the next morning on an early flight from Philly, and we walked down Michigan Ave to the Art Institute to spend the morning.
The Chicago Bean
The restaurant at the Art Institute
Pat looking as relaxed (and gorgeous) as I've ever seen her
I wish I could tell you what we saw at the Art Institute-I think it was a special exhibit of Homer watercolors, but of course no pictures were allowed there. We did check out some of the Institute's permanent collection, which is outstanding BTW, especially the Impressionists and the Asian art.
The Chicago Stock Exchange trading room-they knocked down the building but someone thought to save this room and rebuild it piece by piece. It's now used for meetings and functions.
We also spent some time in their staircase atrium, which is lined with architectural elements from many demolished Chicago buildings-incredible stuff!
From the Stock Exchange Building
A Vallotton print that caught my eye
One of the lions outside
The walk back to the hotel took us past the old Carbon and Carbide Building-now the Hard Rock Hotel
Wow
The view from the hotel waiting for the elevator
I know by this time Sara had joined us, but somehow I ended up taking a walk for some reason, and of course headed toward the water.
Navy Pier
The entrance to the Chicago River from the lake-it's hard for me to imagine how enormous Lake Michigan is, but this view helped put it in to perspective
I won't show you the shot of the hotel room strewn with all the trappings of three women getting ready to go out, but here's the end result-dinner at Cafe Spaggia
On the walk back to the hotel
And just for making it this far, I offer you a bit of LULZ
The next morning we walked the several blocks to Fox and Obel for breakfast.
On the way along the river
The place is full of good food and good coffee-paradise!
Sara and Pat-
More architecture-
the former Shriner's Club-now the Intercontinental
Inside the amazing Wrigley Building-no pictures are allowed but we got some quick ones
Outside-it's so enormous and imposing I can only give you a bit at a time
Looking upriver from the Wrigley
Now-on to the next Wrigley palace-the one where they play baseball! A friend of Mark's (and mine) joined us for the game-a long story but he wanted to see Wrigley as much as I did, so made a trip out of some visiting and the game.
The three of us bundled up
Joe and I
We went to eat at this recommended place we almost didn't find-but the BBQ was good
Pat wasn't feeling so well that night, so she curled up in bed while Sara and I headed out for a couple drinks at another hotel whose name escapes me right now. We started out at the ground floor bar
but then went upstairs to the happening spot
The next morning was a blur of activity-all three of us headed off to work-but what a weekend! I'll leave you with a parting shot of the Wrigley Building and the river
Thanks for stopping by!
No comments:
Post a Comment