Girls Trip to Chicago

Such a great trip with my mom and sisters.  Chicago impressed me in many ways.  Top impressions:

1. clean

2. friendliness

3. mass transit

4. skyscrapers

5. so much to do

 3 day pass for the train, subway, or buses kept us car free

Had to start off the trip with some Chicago style pizza, YUM!

 The train system above and subway below

After lunch on Friday we took a tour of the architectural buildings around the river downtown.

 It was chilly and windy but bundling worked well and I was amazed at the skyscrapers everywhere I looked.

I will admit I took way too many pictures and could do a whole post on just them, which I may do at some point, but will put on a few.

These buildings are circular. They are all studio apartments above the gap and parking spots you back into on the bottom.  Every apartment is a pie shape starting at four feet at the door and eighteen feet at the balcony.  How does one even buy furniture for that?

view looking into downtown

 the "x" shape on the side of this building would allow you to knock out floors and it would still have strong enough support to stand

 Willis Tower a.k.a. Sears Tower.

 crazy shape, forgot the name, popular green glass windows were used

 top of this building was built to look like a champagne bottle

 These three were all built by the same architect, which never happens in a row like this

 Trump Building, second tallest in Chicago and the Wrigley Building to the right.

another apartment building by the same architect that built the circular buildings.  This one has "s" shaped hallways.  Would have loved seeing that.

 Saturday we did a lot of walking through some neighborhoods on our way to the Chicago History Museum.  This church, called Moody Church was across the street.  It is one the most beautiful and unique churches I have ever seen.  Loved it.

In the part of the museum dedicated to 1968 we found our childhood dishes, haha!

 

Learned a lot more about the Chicago Fire, Haymarket Riot, Black Belt Riot, and Gangland Era.  Lots of history to this town.

 

Then we did some shopping. 8 floors to Macy's yes 8 floors.  The building itself has 12 and a LL. 

 We had lunch at the Walnut Room up on the 7th floor of Macy's.  Then we did a lot of shopping around Block Thirty Seven.

View of Night Life walking down to the river by the Trump Building.

 Ate dinner at the Emerald Loop Pub, tried watching the Great Chicago Fire Festival....

 ...finished the night catching the fireworks.

Going back a bit, here is our hotel from the outside.  We were in the Chicago Theatre District.

 The employees were amazing the hotel was amazing.  They host 3 or 4 wedding receptions almost every weekend.

 

 We went Sunday morning, a beautiful morning I might add to see The Bean.  This sculpture gives so many different views of the city in its reflection.

 You really could take pictures all day and not get the same one.

 Then we ate brunch at The Gage

The bottom right corner of the picture above is the restaurant.  Really yummy brunch!

( I look like I have a fake tan in this picture above I guess because of the light over my head, haha)

 The bulls you find around town.

 Finished out buying some Garrett Popcorn a Chicago Tradition to bring home.

Such a great trip!  My first trip in three years without kids.  Good times!