Drove from Grand
Haven, MI to Chicago to visit Caroline's friend Barb.
Recovering from what seems to have been the same illness
Caroline had two weeks ago, Barb still managed to be an
excellent hostess and tour guide. We went down to
Millennium Park down by the waterfront where they've built an
outdoor ice skating rink, a huge outdoor concert pavilion, and a
giant bean. All very modern looking, especially the bean -
which is this giant shiny metallic piece of art made to
resemble, well, you know, a bean. We love Chicago, and
think it would be fun to live here, with the exception of those
5 or 6 months of miserable cold weather. There are so many
things to see and do, and a million different neighborhoods that
all have their own character and points of interest.
Tom (boyfriend) and
Barb took us out to a great little neighborhood Italian
restaurant down the street from them, where we had some
excellent food and BYOB wine, after stopping by the largest wine
superstore I've ever seen - about the size of the Safeway by our
old house. Then it was off to the neighborhood
hole-in-the-wall bar, Rich's, for some after dinner drinks.
I went with the Old Style, as the sign hanging outside
suggested. Turned out to be an extremely dog-friendly bar.
There were four dogs in this small bar at one time or another in
the hour or so we hung out there. Counting these party
pooches, we met a total of seven dogs in the first 9 hours or so
of our visit to Chicago in what is apparently a
doggie-controlled neighborhood. Tom's lab Valentino and
Barb's enormous greyhound Berretta were the friendliest and
easiest to take.
Now it's off to
Columbus, Ohio to see Caroline's grandparents. There
appears to be some freezing rain out there, so we're hoping it
won't be too terrible of a drive.... We're counting down the
days until freezing rain just isn't a possibility for us
anymore. Shooting for January 21st or so to be in Florida,
which pretty much guarantees us temps over 60 at least... and
for those of you wondering when the hell we're finally getting
to Mexico, we're thinking approximately mid-February. From
what we were talking about and planning last night, it looks
like we may be in New Orleans for Mardi Gras after all.
Caroline is very wary of being there DURING Mardi Gras, but Tom
may have convinced us to be there for at least one night of the
big celebrations. Maybe we'll plan to arrive on Fat
Tuesday, if we can get a room! |
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