The Windy City.
Oct. 17th, 2013 07:33 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dodger_sisterMy trip to Chicago was awesome! I came home sore as fuck (the hotel beds were not the best and the car ride is never fun) and exhausted (clearly, as I’m just getting around to typing this up) but it was SO worth it. The traffic going in was pretty bad but we managed to get a view of the water pretty much from the minute we hit Chicago. The hotel was about a block from the lakefront, in a cute little area. Every time I go to Chicago, I love it more and more. I love that it has such a neighborhood-feel to it while still being the big city. Once we got there, ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
hiyacynth and Munchy P (who's 2 1/2 now) came to the hotel. The BFF had brought him a Superman shirt with a cape on it and he put it on and proceeded to jump on the hotel beds until finally he turned to my sister and said, "Do I want to fly?" and she picked him up and 'flew' him around the room. He was laughing so hard he kept forgetting to put his arms out.
Thendugindeep came by and we walked down to this little restaurant called Leona's. (We can't walk to dinner anywhere around here, mostly because 50% of the time there aren't even sidewalks). I had the best baked mac'n'cheese, which shall never be topped, and a meatball sandwich on grilled garlic bread. D-licious. Plus the table of five fangirls all talking shop at once, which is highly entertaining to say the least. Our waiter walked in on a few interesting conversations. Eventually Munchy P passed out on the booth, but we kept going!
In the late morning Saturday, The BFF and I walked down to the beach. It had turned cloudy and grey by then but it was still warm and we watched the water and talked about living in Chicago or just being rich and having a suite at a nice hotel for regular Chicago visits. We grabbed lunch and went back to the hotel and watched The Day After Tomorrow and talked about the apocalypse, as one does. Thenhiyacynth and her family joined us and we all headed to the park. Sadly, Munchy was running a fever and wasn't feeling all that well. He played for a little bit but then he just wanted to sit on the park bench and chat with his Dad (he may have been imitating us girls, who were all very engrossed in a conversation about the show ER, of all things). Then we headed to Evanston to a music shop and stopped at a Mexican restaurant where The BFF and I shared some flawn (never had that before, it was a-fucking-mazing) and I tried a sangria (which I'd also never tried before but found it way too sweet for me - it was like Cherry Coke on crack).
In the evening we metrhymephile for dinner at this place called The Firehouse Grille and it was a restaurant inside an old renovated firehouse. Look, you guys know I'm a dork, so I'll just tell you how stupidly delighted I was to be in Chicago in a firehouse and then like four firetrucks went past and okay, it would be the equivalent of a Supernatural fan eating at place called The Winchester in Lawrence, Kansas. I like Chicago Fire, is what I'm saying. Anyways the food was great and the company even better - (on the way home we talked about how we need to have a Fangirl Jeopardy: X-Files version and get rhymephile to join us).
You know, I love getting to meet my LJ fangirls in Real Life. They are both so fucking awesome and now that I can say we've met before, they have open invitations to come stay at Fangirl Central. The kids in the family don't call this The Fun House for nothing. Then my sister made us get up at the asscrack of dawn (well, at least in my world it was the asscrack of dawn) to get ahead of the marathon traffic. But we were home and all taking naps by 1pm, so that was good. It was a most excellent trip!
hiyacynth and Munchy P (who's 2 1/2 now) came to the hotel. The BFF had brought him a Superman shirt with a cape on it and he put it on and proceeded to jump on the hotel beds until finally he turned to my sister and said, "Do I want to fly?" and she picked him up and 'flew' him around the room. He was laughing so hard he kept forgetting to put his arms out.Then
dugindeep came by and we walked down to this little restaurant called Leona's. (We can't walk to dinner anywhere around here, mostly because 50% of the time there aren't even sidewalks). I had the best baked mac'n'cheese, which shall never be topped, and a meatball sandwich on grilled garlic bread. D-licious. Plus the table of five fangirls all talking shop at once, which is highly entertaining to say the least. Our waiter walked in on a few interesting conversations. Eventually Munchy P passed out on the booth, but we kept going!In the late morning Saturday, The BFF and I walked down to the beach. It had turned cloudy and grey by then but it was still warm and we watched the water and talked about living in Chicago or just being rich and having a suite at a nice hotel for regular Chicago visits. We grabbed lunch and went back to the hotel and watched The Day After Tomorrow and talked about the apocalypse, as one does. Then
hiyacynth and her family joined us and we all headed to the park. Sadly, Munchy was running a fever and wasn't feeling all that well. He played for a little bit but then he just wanted to sit on the park bench and chat with his Dad (he may have been imitating us girls, who were all very engrossed in a conversation about the show ER, of all things). Then we headed to Evanston to a music shop and stopped at a Mexican restaurant where The BFF and I shared some flawn (never had that before, it was a-fucking-mazing) and I tried a sangria (which I'd also never tried before but found it way too sweet for me - it was like Cherry Coke on crack).In the evening we met
rhymephile for dinner at this place called The Firehouse Grille and it was a restaurant inside an old renovated firehouse. Look, you guys know I'm a dork, so I'll just tell you how stupidly delighted I was to be in Chicago in a firehouse and then like four firetrucks went past and okay, it would be the equivalent of a Supernatural fan eating at place called The Winchester in Lawrence, Kansas. I like Chicago Fire, is what I'm saying. Anyways the food was great and the company even better - (on the way home we talked about how we need to have a Fangirl Jeopardy: X-Files version and get rhymephile to join us).You know, I love getting to meet my LJ fangirls in Real Life. They are both so fucking awesome and now that I can say we've met before, they have open invitations to come stay at Fangirl Central. The kids in the family don't call this The Fun House for nothing. Then my sister made us get up at the asscrack of dawn (well, at least in my world it was the asscrack of dawn) to get ahead of the marathon traffic. But we were home and all taking naps by 1pm, so that was good. It was a most excellent trip!
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2013-10-17 11:40 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-10-22 11:28 pm (UTC)It was SERIOUSLY good. I've been dreaming abut it ever since. My sister makes meatballs once in awhile but now I'm spoiled and I only want the meatball sandwich from Leona's!
no subject
Date: 2013-10-18 12:37 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-10-22 11:30 pm (UTC)It's such a great city, isn't it? Obvs we'll never leave our house - we bought it for life and we'll never leave The Niece and Nephew - but if we ever did, I'd vote for Chicago!
no subject
Date: 2013-10-18 12:48 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-10-22 11:32 pm (UTC)I really did. I'm kind of on my ass again from it, but it was worth it. I love weekend trips to the city!
no subject
Date: 2013-10-18 01:04 am (UTC)Very glad you had a wonderful trip.
no subject
Date: 2013-10-22 11:38 pm (UTC)LOL We say that too - "And then we'll meet up with Munchy. Oh, yeah and hiyacynth can come, if she wants." ;) He is a total little person now - it's super sweet to see how much he has grown. He's going through a phase right now where he reenacts scenes from his favorite children's shows. Fanboy in the making!
Very glad you had a wonderful trip.
Thank you! It was super fun.
no subject
Date: 2013-10-18 01:53 am (UTC)There should totally be a place called The Winchester in Lawrence, KS. If there isn't I should move there and open it. But first I should find someone to make really awesome burgers. Because it can't be The Winchester otherwise.
no subject
Date: 2013-10-22 11:42 pm (UTC)RIGHT? My god, could you imagine the distance fangirls would travel to eat at that place?! It'd be awesome.
no subject
Date: 2013-10-18 05:09 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-10-22 11:45 pm (UTC)It was so much fun! And my sister was legit excited to know that now she has met someone who met Nic Lea. lol
As long as The X-Files Jeopardy skips Seasons 8 and 9, I will give you a run for your money. Your sis too! ;-)
What S8 & 9? There was never a S8 & 9!!!! Right?
no subject
Date: 2013-10-18 02:06 pm (UTC)I'm so glad I got to meet you all, and visiting Fangirl Central is a new entry on my ato Do lost.
Leona's mac and cheese is pretty damn amazing, I do agree. And I'm glad you got to try it!
no subject
Date: 2013-10-22 11:48 pm (UTC)It was so great to meet you too! You def have to visit sometime - we always throw the best Fangirl Weekends!
Leona's mac and cheese is pretty damn amazing, I do agree. And I'm glad you got to try it!
No other mac n cheese will ever do again.
no subject
Date: 2013-10-19 09:36 pm (UTC)Chicago Fire! I've been marathoning that show with my mum and a new series just started here in the UK and it is awesome. It would be so cool to eat in a Chicago fire house, very cool. Right now I'm waiting to see if Renee's baby is really his with the whole not lining up due dates and who is the arsonist? I'm loving this show, just a bit.
Rest up after your trip, traveling is always tiring.
no subject
Date: 2013-10-22 11:52 pm (UTC)It really was, such a good trip.
Chicago Fire! I've been marathoning that show with my mum and a new series just started here in the UK and it is awesome. It would be so cool to eat in a Chicago fire house, very cool. Right now I'm waiting to see if Renee's baby is really his with the whole not lining up due dates and who is the arsonist? I'm loving this show, just a bit.
YAY, you are watching Chicago Fire! Isn't it so good? I love every single character on this show! And yeah, I was super psyched to eat in an actual firehouse! Are you caught up yet? The arsonist thing was crazy and the stuff with Heather and Matt - holy shit. Plus, omg, Shay in the last episode...if you haven't seen it, you'll know when you do - poor Shay.
Rest up after your trip, traveling is always tiring.
Yeah, I'm still a little on my ass from the trip, but totally worth it. <3
no subject
Date: 2013-10-27 09:10 pm (UTC)Glad it was worth it. I hope you've recovered by now (I've been MIA again I know) <3
no subject
Date: 2013-10-20 04:10 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-10-22 11:55 pm (UTC)It really was. I love a good trip to the city!