Thursday, October 20, 2011

CHICAGO SEPT 30 -- QCT 3


WE DID A QUICK TRIP TO CHICAGO NOT LONG AGO WITH MY MOM, DAD AND SISTERS.
STACEY DID A LOT OF RESEARCH AS WE HAD NEVER BEEN TO CHICAGO BEFORE.
AND BEING AS WE WERE WITH A GROUP WE WERE LOOKING FOR THINGS WE COULD ALL DO. WHAT WE CAME UP WITH WAS A 90 MINUTE BOAT TOUR ON THE CHICAGO RIVER. IT WAS ALL ABOUT THE ARCHITECTURE ALONG THE RIVER WHICH WINDS THROUGH DOWNTOWN.
WE ALSO DID A 3 HOUR BIKE TOUR ALONG THE LAKE FRONT AND THROUGH SOME COOL NEIGHBORHOODS.
BOTH TOURS WERE VERY GOOD.  THE LADY DOING THE BOAT TOUR DID NOT STOP TALKING FOR THE WHOLE 90 MINUTES. SHE KNEW A LOT ABOUT EVERY SKYSCRAPER ALONG THE WAY. VERY INTERESTING AND INFORMATIVE.
THE BIKE TOUR WAS JUST AS GOOD. CHICAGO IS FLAT AND MADE FOR AN EASY RIDE. WE LEARNED ABOUT PEOPLE AND PLACES ON THIS TOUR AND GOT A HANDLE ON THE LAY OF THE LAND FOR OUR NEXT VISIT..
WE TRIED TO GET AN RSVP AT ANY RICK BAYLESS RESTAURANT, BUT NO WAY. SO STACEY FOUND "SEVEN ON STATE". THAT'S THE 7TH FLOOR OF THE MACY'S DEPT. STORE WHERE YOU CAN FIND A RICK BAYLESS RESTAURANT ALONG SIDE OF MARCUS SAMUELSSON THE BURGER MASTER. THERE ARE 5 OTHER RESTAURANTS IN THIS FOOD COURT. AND BECAUSE IT'S IN A DEPT STORE IT'S VERY CAUSAL AND EASY TO GET IN AND OUT AND THE ONLY WAY WE WERE GONNA GET FOOD FROM EITHER OF THESE GREAT CHEFS.
ONE NIGHT WE HAD DEEP DISH PIZZA DELIVERED TO US.  IT WAS VERY GOOD EVEN THOUGH THIN CRUST IS MY FAV. WE WALKED A LOT THROUGH MILLENNIUM PARK.
THERE IS LOTS OF GREAT OUTDOOR ART AND A FRANK GEHRY BAND SHELL FROM HELL IN THE PARK.
CHECK OUT SOME OF STACEY'S PHOTOS AND GET YOURSELF TO CHICAGO, IT'S LIKE A SMALL CLEAN NYC WITH NICE FOLKS WHO LOOK YOU IN THE EYE AND TALK TO YOU.