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01/10/04 - Chicago, IL (Photos)

Barb, Dogs & Big Beans

 

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!