When we talk about this trip folks say things like “You HAVE to go to…”, or “I loved……. and you don’t want to miss it!” and other proclamations about places to travel. We diligently write them down knowing that everyone can’t love the same place, so maybe we’ll like it but maybe we won’t necessarily right? Wrong………Chicago has something for everyone to love.
This visit to Chicago happened to coincide with Marla’s birthday and the Cubs were nice enough to oblige with a Friday afternoon home game. They lost, but we still had Chicago dogs (No ketchup ~ TOURIST!), had peanuts and popcorn and sang with a video recording of Harry Caray for the 7th inning stretch. Ira’s college friend, Kim, gave us a running commentary about the city on the way to Chicago style deep dish pizza dinner at one of the Lou Malnati’s locations. We didn’t have the life-changing experience people say authentic Chicago pizza will give you, but it was certainly delicious! The best part might have been watching a group of male friends in the corner of the restaurant eat A LOT and give each other grief over something while drinking beers. After a day like that all you can do is return to the Palmer House hotel for a night of sleep!
Saturday dawned bright and early (10-ish) for the crowd ~ cousins Ira & Peg Rundell, my sister Kay Luna, her son and daughter-in-law, Tim & Jordan Luna and their kids Nina, Ben and Lillie. The group toured Lincoln Park Zoo, then split up and we wandered around the Chicago Air & Water Show. Somehow we beat the rest of them back to the Palmer for afternoon cocktails where they eventually joined us in the martini/charcuterie fest. Miller’s Pub was surprisingly good, had a chance to enjoy family connections, and wrapped up the day with a concert in the park at the Pirtzker Pavilion. We’re sure other people could have packed more into the day…but why?!
Somehow Marla got up Sunday morning to take a Miller cousins picture in front of Miller’s Pub and wander the waterfront before Kay, Marla, Erin & Ira & Peg returned to Ira & Peg’s in Vernon Hills for some much needed downtime and rest before we continued our meander.
Having skipped the rock on the pond of the City of Chicago, we both are clear that the best part of the 2 & 1/2 days was doing all of that with family. All of time spent planning, travelling to Vernon Hills then to Chicago, coordinating, etc, etc, etc was 100% worth it. To be clear, no family is perfect, and of course not everything was peaches and cream every minute of every day, but overall it was a lovely way to start to learn about a city.
Thanks to Ira & Peg for letting us stay, for being the best tour guides, for patience, for sending us on our way with a loving prayer. Thanks to Kay Luna for coming all the way from Leavenworth, KS to celebrate Marla’s birthday & see her grandchildren. Thanks to Tim, Jordan and family for bringing delight and unpredictability to a weekend that could have been so boringly adult.
Chicago ~ The Windy City, The City of Big Shoulders, The 2nd City, Chi-town….whatever you call it, its a grand city to visit & we’ll be back to skip another rock on the pond of experiences again, (and maybe again & again….)
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