Our Chicago Trip and Thankful Thursday on a Sunday/Monday

So we’ve been back for a week and I’m just now posting about our delightful trip to Chi-town.  I’m sure true Chicagoans (yes, they’re really called Chicagoans) hate when people call it Chi-town, but I’m not a Chicagoan, so I can say Chi-town if my little heart so desires.

And before I get too far into this post, an impromptu Thankful Thursday is needed.  I realize I could just say a normal “thank you” and that it’s not even Thursday, but pssh, why not go all here?   A huge, super, big, gigantic thank you to our friends Matt and Christie for hosting us for most of our Chicago trip.  We were technically in town for Matt’s interview, but since we flew alllll the way out there, we figured we’d stick around for a couple more days of fun.  (It made total sense, right?)  Thankfully, our dear friends are the best hosts, cooks, tour guides, comedians, restaurateurs, photographers,  snow shovellers, and cab  hailers we know, and we had such a blast spending an extended weekend with them.  Christie and I have been dear friends since third grade and we have seen each other through lots of dorky and awkward phases.  Don’t believe me?  See below…

Haha, told you.  Christie (third from the left) and I (second from the left) went to summer camp with two of our best friends through most of elementary, middle and high school.  Any friend who has seen you through from 3rd grade to now is pretty special in my book.

Back our fabulous hosts and amazing friends…we had such a blast with them and loved seeing all the awesome parts of Chicago, especially the parts you don’t find in a tourist guide.  Much love to you both, Matt and I are so thankful for your hosting abilities, but even more so for you fun and fabulous friendship.  Check out all the fun we had in the windy city!

After arriving in Chicago at 1:30 Wednesday night/Thursday morning, we headed to the hotel so Matt could rest up for his interview which was seven hours later (poor dude).  When we woke up in the morning, this is what we found outside our hotel…SNOW!  We hadn’t seen snow since our last trip to Chicago (March 2007).  From a warm, heated hotel the snow is so delightful.  Outside, well, that’s a bit of a different story :)

After Matt’s interview, we grabbed a cab and headed to Matt and Christie’s adorable little brownstone in Lincoln Park.  It was so precious.  As we prepared to head out to dinner, Christie politely pointed out that my Uggs wouldn’t cut it in the snow (as my readers so brilliantly pointed out in my original post about the weather.)  Though I’m sure she was laughing inside at my lack of snow savvy, she kept from teasing me too loudly, and offered me my pick of her super chic warm boots.  Thankfully, we wear the same size shoe so my Uggs were spared.  Here we are grabbing dinner and drinks at a cute little Tapas place a few blocks from their house.  I will crave those delicious little potato delights for the rest of my life.

When we got back, we had to face reality.  Living in the cold weather comes with some crappy details (exhibit A: shovelling snow.)  Christie wasn’t phased; look at her go!

Such responsible and cute Chicagoans :)

Before I go any further, I have to clarify.  Both Christie and I’s husbands are named Matt.  Confusing?  Yes.  Annoying?  Pretty much.  So within ten minutes of us being there, nicknames were in order.  Christie and “her Matt” quickly dubbed “my Matt” “Dr. Matt” in honor of his upcoming degree.  Though I didn’t ever call him Dr. Matt (not unless he calls me Dr. Allison), the name stuck with Matt and Christie and therefore, will be used for clarity for the remainder of this post.  Here Dr. Matt and I snap photos while Matt and Christie shovelled.

But I soon got tired of watching and decided to try my hand at shovelling and snow sweeping.  I was a natural :)

I can’t help myself, I’m always looking for a good photo opp, even in a blizzard.

The next morning, the streets were covered in pretty powder.  I forced Dr. Matt to pose for a picture.  He’ll thank me someday :)

You never have to convince me to stop for a photo :)

That day, the four of us headed downtown for a little shopping (ok, maybe more than a little) and some yummy dinner.

Here come the men in black.

Christie showed off her best Martha Stewart with a homemade chocolate cake (putting my cake-from-a-box method completely to shame.)  Thanks to Matt for my delightfully heart shaped piece, complete with powered sugar.

Saturday we headed downtown to see the sights and explore the city.  Christie was such a good sport to show us around in the freezing cold.

This is what happy Dr. Matt looks like.  He has been raving about Chicago dogs since we were there last.  We stopped at a tiny little spot downtown for this “yumminess.”

Can you guess which picky eater looked like a total tourist asking for only mustard and ketchup?  (Ok, I confess, but I cannot stand any of those Chicago dog ingredients alone, nevermind mushed together.  Eck, sickening.  I’ll stick with picky thank you.)

Matt and I in Millennium Park.  (Loving the boots Christie let me borrow.  Must get a pair!)

Checking out “The Bean” downtown.  (Technically, its called “Cloud Gate” but pssh, no one calls it that.  The Bean it is.)  And why have I said “pssh” twice in this post?  Two times too many, Allison.

Look, there we are!  So cool!  And how beautiful is the reflection of downtown?

Double trouble :)

Hahha, this picture is so awkwardly awesome.  I am so weird.

Let’s play a little “Where’s Waldo.”  Do you see us?  All three of us are there…

Ok ok, I’ll give you the answers :)

:)

I heart this picture.  I have cute friends.

I couldn’t get enough of the snow in the park.  Very undisturbed and pretty.  The art instillation behind us is cool in person, but kinda creepy in this pic.  Yeah?

Christie and I outside the new, soon-to-be flagship Anthropologie (aka heaven!)  Sadly (but lucky for my bank account) it didn’t open for another two weeks.)

Dinner and drinks our last night there.  I wish I knew the names of all the places we went.  I was so trusting of our hosts/tour guides that I didn’t even to bother asking where we were or where we were going!

The Matts.

In the cab between hot spots.  Yes, I am that person who takes pictures everywhere I go.  Life is short and special, so why not capture all the moments you can?

Our last spot of the night, which of course, I don’t remember the name of…Jasper’s?  Kate’s?  Some single name like that.  Regardless, it was dee-li-cious.

This guy makes me really happy.

Cheers to a fabulous trip, a fabulous dinner, and FABULOUS friends. 

I also want to give a huge THANK YOU to my fabulous readers who commented on this post when I was freaking out about how to balance the snow and freezing temperatures with a wardrobe that maintained some level of cuteness.  Though I was terrified of looking like an overbundled, puffy marshmallow, their tips kept me warm and somewhat chic (at least I think so!)  Many thanks to those that shared their cold weather/wardrobe friendly tips with me :)