Chicago in photos

We got to stay at the the Drake and it was fabulous except that they kept removing glasses without replacing them. Beth was mighty impressed with the benches in the elevators -- you just don't know when you're going to need to sit down. One problem we had with the Drake is that there don't appear to be any diners nearby, you know, breakfast greasy spoons. We finally happened upon an appropriately greasy place where we greatly enjoyed our breakfast. We continued our walk and found a Whole Foods where we were impressed by the vegetable stacking skills of the staff.


















We found the fanciest McDonalds ever on our first day in Chicago. Flowers on the tables, designers lights, and of course, a brass sculpture of Ronnie. We lingered but didn't eat. There was a McD's on every corner where there wasn't a Starbucks.















While I was there I caught up with my brother and nephew. We hadn't seen each other for a year and a half.










We were very impressed with Millenium Park, particularly the "bean" which is a shiny bean shaped sculpture that reflects everything around it although the bandstand is also pretty interesting. I think it all would have been exceptional if it had been 40 degrees warmer. We were amused by the Segway-riding park patrol army.

Lisa and Heather came in on Saturday morning and we kicked around. They got cozy on the elevator bench. They claim that what happens in Chicago stays in Chicago.

The last day we were there, we went to a section of Chicago that was supposed to be like Greenwich Village in NYC but it didn't really live up to expectations although we did manage to get lost and walk around in circles. To live up to Sandy's expections we tried on a few fancy dresses. Sandy thinks thinks that both Beth and I should be invited to be on "What Not to Wear." We took pictures to prove that we tried on dresses and we tried to convince Beth she should buy the gray dress without success. Shouldn't she go back and buy it? The other dresses went into the reject pile. We got to watch people on the El stare at Heather and say "doesn't she look like Renee Zellwiger?"

Oh yeah, we also checked out the Sears Tower, the Art Institute of Chicago and the Museum of Contemporary Art. I got a great book there called "Everything I Ate" by Tucker Shaw where he cronicles everything he ate over an entire year, in pictures. My year would have left me open to much ridicule. My friend from Mattoon came up and treated us to dinner and introduced us to his friend, a German man who spent three months in a prison camp for his terrorist activities that involved transporting 10 liters of strawberry flavoring over the Mexican border. My mom came down from Green Bay and we had a mini family reunion at my brother's house. We ran out of time well before we ran out of things to see and do.

Oh, and while I did miss my little guy, it was amazing how EASY it was to do things without having to take his needs into consideration. When I got home he was much more interested in checking out Beth and Dicky than in seeing me although a bit later he turned into a clingon. Ah, it was nice to be home.