Chicaaaaago

Kim,

I know you've already been to Chicago but I want to tell you about my trip there! By the way, do you count Chicago as the Midwest? It's got a different vibe from the quaintness of Wisconsin, and I'll need you to tell me what Iowa is like. I hear the twang of folks saying flat a's (baaag, Chicaaago, Saaaally), but I also hear a valley girl accent every now and then that makes me do a double take when I find out they're not from California...

I went to Chicago for the first time when I was sixteen for a school choir trip, and I remember LOVING the city. I remember my teenage self thinking that one day I would call Chicago my home. I don't know when I lost that lust for Chicago, but I've only made 2 trips to the windy city since moving to the Midwest. Maybe it was the wonderment of traveling to a new city more than the actual city itself. Having said that, every person I know from the Chicago area loves the city without being able to distinctly describe why, so there must be some magical sense of home to it. I'm determined to find my own love for the windy city one day, but in the mean time I'm ok with finding wonderment in the little things.

Anywho back to what I actually did! The sole purpose of our trek was to get dim sum because we haven't found a place that meets our fancy in Madison (yet). So first stop = Chinatown. A friend had recommended Three Happiness, but it was closed for renovation, so we went to Cai instead. It didn't disappoint! And no, that's not all we ate, but I got too busy eating to take pictures. The girl sitting across from me had major RBF. Also overheard during our meal was the girl next to us telling a benign story in a dramatic way, and when she said "I'm not trying to throw shade or anything, but..." and the three of us bust out laughing. I can't keep up with the latest slang, but is that supposed to sound cool?

One of the things I've noticed from traveling is that you'll still manage to find reminders of familiar things. Take this Pavilion in Millenium Park for example - it was designed by the same architect who did the Disney Concert Hall in LA. It's like sister theaters! Apparently there was some controversy when this was first built because of height restrictions in the park, but they got away with it once it was designated as a piece of art, rather than a building.

Other notables as we walked through the city:

Different rocks from all over the world on the side of the Tribune building

So crowded, but worth checking out the Christmas Market. Getting these mugs were the coolest part.

Juxtaposition of anger from Ferguson/Garner/etc with holiday cheer in the streets

Giordano's pizza was a 1.5 hour wait!

I love my Old Fashioned's. This was at the Publican, a yummy place that pays homage to beer, pork, and oysters.

Playing around at the bean never gets old, but have you ever taken a pic at night? It's pretty magical. Also, did you know it's actually called the Cloud Gate and inspired by liquid mercury?

I love old ads. So cute. The Hershey store has a chute for you to "make" your own candy in a bucket too!

I'm fascinated by how Chicago used to be the capital of crime and gangs in the 1920s. If anything, I think I want to make my next trip to the city to explore that historical aspect.