Birthday Celebrations for Ryan

Last week we celebrated my little brother's 21st birthday.  It's absolutely crazy to me that my baby brother is all grown up, as it seems like yesterday that I was peering into his hospitable incubator in my pink puff paint, "I'm a big sister" shirt.  He'll probably never be a "real" grown-up in my eyes, but given that it was his 21st, we definitely had to celebrate.  And since he is living in Chicago this summer, it only felt right to spend the day patio hopping, enjoying the beautiful weather, and sipping some yummy grown-up beverages.

1. Rocking his chambray and looking like a little grownup.  Where did time go?
2. Our first stop of the afternoon was Big Star.  Big Star has been a Chicago favorite for a long time, but I've never had the patience to face the wait.  But on a Monday afternoon, we gave it a go, and I am so glad we did.  Patio perfection!

3. Happy birthday, little Ryan!

4. For dinner, we continued the patio trend at Parson's Chicken and Fish, a new spot in Logan Square by the team behind Chicago's popular Longman & Eagle.
5. I heard about this spot from a coworker, and I'm so grateful.  Their chicken is out of this world delicious, along with their oysters and hush puppies.  And don't even get me started on their Texas Toast!

6. Like any good Chicago patio, Parson's has an extensive cocktail list.  The shining star?  Definitely their Negroni slushies!
7. Ryan topped off the night with a whiskey + pickle shot, on the house.  Cheers to the birthday boy! 

Having Ryan in Chicago this summer has been so fun, and being able to share his big day with him was such a treat.  And for all my Chicago readers, if you haven't been to Parson's, definitely give it a try.  Between the chicken and slushies, you won't be disappointed!

Christkindlmarket Girls Day

Since the month of January is already flying by, I thought I should consider posting my holiday pictures.  Proof that the new year did not include the goal of being a more timely blogger :)  Near the end of December, I had a half day off work, and I couldn't think of a better place to spend it than the Christkindlmarket.  The market is located downtown in Daley Plaza, and it is one of my favorite Chicago holiday traditions.  Vendors come from all over the world to create an authentic German Christmas market right in the heart of Chicago.  I was thrilled to visit on a weekday, as the crowds were much lighter, leaving less time standing in line and more time wandering with yummy food and drink in hand!

Oh how this place warms my Christmas loving heart!  It makes the bitter, below freezing temperatures much more bearable :)

Big Christmas trees and latkes, two of my most favorite things!

While Christmas cheer is the first reason I go to the market, gluhwein is a close second.  This hot, spiced wine has become one of my favorite holiday drinks since my parents moved overseas.  It is oh so yummy, and the cute little boot mugs make it extra special to enjoy!

No day is too cold when gluhwein is involved :)

Sweet pastries and beautiful Chistmas ornaments are in every corner of the market.  This was actually my first year to go inside the ornament house, as the crowds are usually too crazy.  Additional incentive to go on a weekday!

A blurry but happy picture as we said goodbye to the market and headed for some shopping on Michigan Avenue.  And a quick train snap of my purchase for the day... a fushcia beanie!  I've never been able to pull off the beanie look, but my friend Christie was encouraging when she said, "If anyone is meant to wear a hot pink beanie, it's you!"  Done and done :)

If you ever come to Chicago during the holidays, the Christkindlmarket is a must.  And if its possible to go on a weekday, even better!  PS: see past Christkindlmarket trips here, here, and here.

The CTA Holiday Train

If you follow me on Facebook then you already know that last week, I had a three year long Chicago dream come true.  I got to ride the CTA Holiday Train!  I have literally been wanting to ride this train since the minute we first visited Chicago, but after years of no official sitings and only mythical stories, I was beginning to think we'd never meet.  But then, last week, in a moment of pure fate, I got the chance to experience the CTA Holiday Train and all of it's goodness.  I was on my way home from work when the train driver came over the intercom and announced that the CTA Holiday Train was just five minutes behind us.  So you better believe I squealed with joy, jumped off the train, and eagerly awaited the arrival of the oh so magical Holiday Train.  I was literally jumping up and down with excitement, totally in disbelief of my holiday luck.  I'm so excited to show yall the pictures!

The face of pure excitement!  And look, here comes the CTA Holiday Train, eeek!

I was literally squealing like a third grader as the train approached!  Aren't those lights incredible?

And in true CTA Holiday Train fate, Santa's sleigh stopped right in front of me.  I literally reached out my arm and screamed, "Santa!"  It was a totally Will Ferrell "Elf" moment.  (For full effect, watch around the 30 second mark in this video.  Literally.  I was out of control.)

The inside is totally decked out with holiday lights, tinsel, red bows, and candy cane ribbon.  Even the seats are Santa themed!

See that little lady in the left of that picture?  She was an elf; the train had a crew of elves...passing out candy canes!  I mean, does it get any better?

To create space for Santa, they removed several cars, replacing them with flatbeds.  A perfect space for Santa and his crew :)

The CTA Holiday Train was every bit as magical as I'd hoped.  I literally ran to meet Matt, shrieking when I saw him, "I saw Santa, I rode the Holiday Train!"  I was a total Christmas crazy, with no shame at all :)

To view the CTA Holiday Train schedule, click here.  And if you're not in the Chicago area, take a few seconds to watch the video on their website.  Its pretty dang awesome.  So cheers to Chicago dreams coming true, Christmas fate, and the CTA Holiday Train!

Starved Rock

A few weekends ago, Matt and I spent a beautiful fall Sunday at Starved Rock State Park.  The 2,630 acre park is known for it's fascinating rock formations, beautiful woods, and breathtaking views of the Illinois River.  We made the hour and a half drive from Chicago mid morning and were on the trails by noon.  We packed a simple picnic and ate our lunch on a bench overlooking with river.  It was beautiful!  It was a bit chilly when we started, but once we got moving and got our heart rates going, we warmed up.  The fall colors were vibrant and bright, reminding me of just how much I adore all that is fall.  The pictures turned out pretty delightful, so I'll let them do the talking... 

If you live in or near the Chicago area, I'd definitely recommend a weekend trip to Starved Rock.  Their website shows gorgeous pictures of the park in both the winter and spring seasons, so I have a feeling we'll go back sometime in the near future.  But for now, I can feel winter creeping in, and I know it will only be a matter of time till these sunny weekend hikes will be a thing of the past.  I hope you all are enjoying your weekends, soaking up every last little bit of fall possible.

Apple Picking

Last weekend, Matt and I headed out for my most favorite Midwest activity, apple picking!  Since moving to Chicago, I have looked forward to this activity every year.  Because of the frost late last spring, apple orchards were low on supply this fall, so we headed out a little earlier than usual just to make certain we could partake in our favorite fall tradition.  We've tried two different orchards in our time here, and our favorite is by far Jonamac Orchard in Malta, Illinois.  About an hour and a half outside of Chicago, it's a beautiful drive and an easy daytrip.

Sweater: Rachel by Rachel Roy Leggings: Gap Scarf: thrifted Socks: Target Boots: Clarks Sunnies: Nordstrom 

And of course, we finished the day with a delicious and fresh apple cinnamon donut.  I'm certain heaven will have will have an unlimited supply of those little lovelies; they're so yummy.  We heard the orchard expected to run out of pick-your-own apples later in that afternoon, so if you're planning to go apple picking this fall, make sure you call ahead to ensure you get a good supply.  Is anyone else excited to go apple picking?

And of course, a few Instagrams from the afternoon at the orchard...

PS: You can view other apple orchard outings here and here.

Crosstown Classic

This past weekend, we were lucky enough to score tickets to the famous Crosstown Classic, the baseball showdown between Chicago's beloved teams, the Cubs and the White Sox.  My friend Kathy called Saturday afternoon while we were at the grocery store and told us she had four last minute tickets to the game.  She could barely get the words out before I said, "Of course we'll take them!"  Matt and I quickly stopped our heated debate over peanut butter and headed home to change :)  PS: Kathy and her husband are the same fabulous people who gave us Blackhawks tickets shortly after we moved to Chicago (see that post here).  Do I have super awesome friends or what?

The weather was absolutely perfect.  Literally, we could not have asked for a more beautiful evening.  Our seats were amazing, and thankfully we got there just before the first pitch was thrown.

I'm so grateful Matt and I get to have so many cool Chicago adventures together.  We've only been in this city for two years, and it really does feel like home already.

It's not a baseball game without beer, right?  Unfortunately, I am not a beer drinker, though on occasions like this, I always wish I was, so I could get in the game day spirit a bit more!

Even though I'm not a beer drinker, I'm pretty sure the guys made up for it ;)

Wrigley Field, a totally unique baseball experience.  No jumbo tron, no fifth deck, no dot races.  Just baseball.

Our friends Benge and Gisele were able to come along, and since they'll be leaving the Windy City soon, it was fun to share such an iconic Chicago experience with them.

I cannot go to a baseball game without getting a soft pretzal!  I have a similar rule with cotton candy, though clearly the people at Wrigley didn't get the message, as there was no cotton candy in sight!  I'm gonna have to talk to "my people" about that :)

Go Cubbies!

Looking at this picture makes me realize I definitely should have sized down in this gingham button up.  Ick.  Too much fabric.

At this point the score was 7-0 White Sox, so we turned our attention away from the game and began our lookout for Hillary Clinton, who was rumored to be at the game.  Shortly after, she leaned over the railing of one of the boxes above us, giving the crowd a nice big wave.  Near the end of the game, her boss flew over the field in Marine One, and I may or may not have waived and yelled, "Obama, I love you!"  (If you're wondering why so many big wigs were in town this weekend, NATO was happening in Chicago, so the city was a bit crazy.)

Hooray for a night at the stadium!  Though our team didn't come out on top, we still had an absolute blast!  A huge thanks to Kathy and Mike for the tickets; we are forever grateful for all the fun you gave us!