Toni is hilarious and generous and all kinds of awesome, all things I knew before meeting her but all things that were proven true. We had the added bonus of getting to meet her 3 absolutely beautiful boys and watch a kick-ass mom in action.
On my second day in Chicago I maneuvered the public transit system with style. Chicago made it extremely easy, as did Mrs. Maze with her helpful emailed map. ;-)
I walked a few blocks to the station, figured out the transit card purchase from the machine, and boarded a train on the Brown Line to Diversey (about a 15 minute ride). I marveled that I could actually understand the audio announcing not only the next stop, but which side the door would open. Very impressive!
Mrs. Maze arrived early too, parked, and off we walked in the muggy heat. We walked into Lincoln Park and ate a Clark's Diner. We walked around Lakeview and then back to move the car. We walked some more around Lakeview (I think) and into the fabulous store that is Hollywood Mirror where I bought several things and still spent only $30. We walked down to Wrigley Field when it was about 10 minutes (if that) until game time and witnessed the insanity (though I was glad it was pregame instead of post)! While I wouldn't want to live near there, it is truly awesome to see a ballpark right there at the end of a city block. :-)
I ended up telling her husband not to come into town when he was free (though I would have loved to meet him) because I was exhausted and overheated and knew it would be better to get back to the hotel so I could shower and rest before the evening's parties (at the conference I was pseudo-attending). So after a quick jaunt through Boys' Town and a browse in the Gay Mart where I coveted a $39 electronic Tribble, we were off to a Starbuck's to cool down before parting ways.
On the third day in Chicago, Saturday, I had the pleasure of meeting up with my long-time blog friend, Jenny of Run Jen Run. She is the founder of a smaller blog gathering known as TequilaCon and she pretty much kicks ass. She is also a kind, generous, and hilarious person who happens to be quite talented in photography as well. A current project she is working on involves creating a story within the 4-frame limit of a photobooth, and she is going to real photobooths around Chicago. I highly recommend you check out the set and have your mind blown a bit. I think they are brilliant.
She met me right at my hotel and we walked down to the Navy Pier where it was tourist insanity. It was there I saw that the Ferris Wheel was brought to me by McDonald's. Oy. We had stopped on the way for gourmet sandwiches to take with us. On the pier we bought some drinks and tickets to a water taxi that would take us out on Lake Michigan and down to where the aquarium and national history museum are. I was a bit nervous about my seasickness, but I managed. :-)
We found some shade and sat for lunch. It was gorgeous weather as long as you were in the shade. The sun was a bit brutal, but it was less humid than the day before. We chatted for a while and people-watched and I realized I could easily sit there all day, but I had tourist stuff to do! We walked up Michigan Avenue from there to Millennium Park, starting with The Crown Fountain. Wow! That was amazing to see and I was grateful for the chance to cool off my burning feet. LOL. Then we of course saw "The Bean", really called Cloud Gate, and I have to say, it was amazing in person. I didn't expect it to be as impressive as it is...truly a beautiful piece of art and probably one of the top public art pieces I've ever seen. It delights and awes, it draws people in...it does what public art can do best. I was amazed by it, honestly.
The heat got to us then and so we went to use the public restrooms, get some more cold drinks, and then sat in the grass in the shade. That was it. We stayed there talking for another hour or so before she walked me back to my hotel.
That night I had the most wonderful dining experience thanks to the amazing Concierge at the Sheraton, and convinced the 3 women I was with most to take a nighttime water taxi along the river to the Sears Tower and back.
I loved Chicago. I will most definitely be back.
