Whirlwind Chicago

Chicago is definitely my favorite city to visit.  There are so many things to do and the people are so friendly. We just missed the peak of their fall season, but the weather more than made up for it: low sixties and sunny!  (Except for the day I took pictures...oops.)

Breakfast stop, perfect for lattes and a quick sandwich.

We spent a whole day doing the Magnificent Mile, just hitting all of the shops and sipping on coffees.  I also finally found a red lipstick that works with my skin tone (more on that later), which I never thought would happen! Mostly we began the Christmas shopping a bit early, it's too hard to pass up that kind of store selection.

You can just see the Crate & Barrel within walking distance from our  hotel room... :)

We also saw a bride getting prepared to be married just off the Mile, and I'm absolutely kicking myself for not snapping a quick picture. I'm amazed, though, now that I've started my own journey at how just the sight of a bride gives me the warm fuzzies.  So my belated congratulations to her--I wish her all the best!

As a sometimes visitor to Chicago my final thoughts are to visit the Shedd Aquarium and the Navy Pier (depending on the season of your trip). Those are my favorites, and it was so neat to see the aquarium again and compare it to my 13 year old memories of the place. It's so amazing how your perceptions change in that time!

Bacon-wrapped scallops at Joe's Seafood. Heaven.

As far as food goes? I would highly recommend Joe's Seafood.  You'll probably want to make a reservation, it was pretty popular even in pouring rain (and well worth braving the weather!).  I had the bacon wrapped scallops--they were crisp on the outside and melted in your mouth. Absolute perfection. And my mom couldn't get enough of the Parmesan halibut.  Whatever you do...save room for dessert. Specifically the Havana Dream Pie.  It is a dream...that's all I'm saying. Enjoy! :)