This is going to be a long one, so buckle up!
I finally did it. I finally bit the bullet and went to Chicago after ages and ages of talking about it. Honestly, it helps that my dear and darling sorority daughter, Abby, lives there and could act as my tour guide. It also helps that I can take a direct, 50 minutes in the air flight, to Chicago O'Hare.
And that's exactly what I did.
After flying out of Columbia on the smallest airplane imaginable, I touched down in Chicago and braved public transportation on the Blue Line all by myself like the grown adult that I am.
During one of the busiest times in the city.
Surprisingly, it didn't suck. And it was relatively easily to navigate, pay for (Thank GOD for Apple Pay), and easily accessed. Per Abby, I hopped off the Blue Line right near the Oriental Theatre (James M. Nederlander Theatre) where "Hello, Dolly!" was showing.
It was a cold wait, a bit of miscommunication and traffic, but Abby picked me up curbside and took me back to her apartment where I was quickly introduced to "The Good Place" and deep dish pizza.
The weather on Saturday, November 10th was absolutely beautiful and that's not sarcasm or an exaggeration. It was sunny, breezy, and warmer than Missouri who I left behind in a snowstorm.
We started our day at Abby's favorite place, The Bean and Millennium Park. Busy as always, we took Abby's seasonal bean picture, some touristy reflection shots, a nice portrait mode profile picture, and I made an incredibly horrible pun on Snap Chat that had more blow back (sorry mom!) than anticipated. From there, we wandered to Crown Fountain, and then to the Navy Pier for an epic ferris wheel ride that didn't scare me as much as it could have.
A bit about the Navy Pier Ferris Wheel... for $39 you can get a ticket and admission to The Art Institute of Chicago. It's worth it. As someone who is incredibly scared of heights, I 8.5/10 enjoyed myself on the three rotations of the wheel looking out over the city and Lake Michigan. I even took a cool time lapse video.
We spent the day walking and hopping on and off public transit when we decided to visit a tried and true Chicago favorite, Portillos. It did not disappoint by any means. I could eat a Chicago dog and drink a Chocolate Cake Shake every day for the rest of my life if I wasn't lactose intolerant. The atmosphere was fun but busy, and aside from the Blackhawks memorabilia, the inside was quaint and quirky.
The rest of the afternoon was spent at the Garfield Park Conservatory, one of the most incredible stops on our quick tour of Chicago. Free will donation admission, you get to experience several different "atmospheres" including a fern room, succulents galore, desert plants, a children's room, a show room, and a palm house. Photo opportunities never exhausted themselves, and it was a paradise in a busy city allowing you to learn about various plants and how they contribute to our ecosystem.
A quick pit stop by an under construction Wrigley Field and The Chicago Theatre, we dashed to Pizano's for a deep dish pizza before heading to The Signature Lounge 96th Floor John Hancock Tower. Instead of paying $11 for the 360 Deck, just take the time to get a drink (I had wine) or a dessert, and sit along the windows of the Lounge and take in the incredible view. We made friends from Pennsylvania, sat and saw the contrasting lights of the city and pitch black of the lake, and talked, caught up, and laughed.
I missed Abby.
Sunday started with lunch at Shake Shack, my personal favorite place when I need something quick, and a walk to the starting point of Route 66, America's highway. After a brisk walk, we arrived at our sole destination of the day, The Art Institute of Chicago. After the frustrating discovery that my favorite piece of artwork, Nighthawks, was off display, we took of on an hours long journey through Picasso, O'Keeffe, Van Gogh, Seurat, Monet, Warhol AND, AND, AND AMERICAN GOTHIC BY GRANT WOOD.
That, my friends, was a decent replacement for Nighthawks.
After the Art Institute and a quick stop by the Congress Hotel (more on this later!), we made our way back to the apartment, threw on "The Good Place," and waited to head to O'Hare where I flew out much later than I should have, homework and the Sunday Scaries taunting me the entire wait in the terminal.
I love Chicago, I can't wait to go back. I had an even better time catching up with Abby, learning about her job, and letting her show me her new city.
I'm excited to get back, but even more excited to see where she goes from here.
Ciao,
Courtney
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