In early June 2011, Brian and I flew to Chicago for a couples-only weekend away, our first since Westley's birth. It also was the first time for us both to be away from Westley at the same time, and the trip was both incredibly relaxing and slightly nerve-wracking. We'd both been there before, but not together for fun. (We were sponsors for our church's youth group mission trip there several years before.) We had some romantic and adventurous time exploring the city's sights together. We called my mother-in-law, who was watching Westley for us, often, but enjoyed our freedom and the chance to reconnect a little.
We, of course, had to dine on regional beer and Chicago's best deep-dish pizza. We tried Lou Malnati's, which quickly became a favorite. (Cool thing: They ship their pizzas on dry ice, so you can enjoy without the plane ticket if you feel so inclined. We since have!)
We waited in the very long line to get into Shedd Aquarium. I had been during a senior high school trip, but it was Brian's first visit. As predicted, he loved it. A little travel tip: We found out later that if you buy your tickets online in advance, you can walk right in and pick them up. Good to know!
We saw a dolphin show, pet starfish, watched a storm move over the city and were in awe of the jellyfish exhibit. We spent some money in the gift shop buying a stuffed penguin for Westley and talked about how excited we'd be to return with him one day when he's a little older.
With a recommendation from some Wichita friends, we dined at The Purple Pig on the Magnificent Mile. We tasted and chatted for hours. It was fantastic, especially for the still-new parents who usually opt for carry-out and quick meals.
We toured Wrigley Field, one of our favorite parts of the trip:
We took a chilly walk along North Avenue Beach, where people were sunbathing despite the cool breeze. Then we rental some bicycles and worked off some of the pizza on a 13-mile ride.
We mapped out our route so we'd see many of the downtown landmarks, including some of the famous fountains, and, in typical tourist style, Cloud Gate ("The Bean") in Millennium Park:
Next stop, Navy Pier, where we turned in our bikes, watched the sun set from atop the Ferris wheel and had another delicious meal.
The next day, we had one more deep-dish pizza lunch* before I left one love of my life in Chicago (Brian stayed for a couple days for a work conference) so I could get home to my other. The Chicago skyline was stunning, but home is where the heart (and my little boy) is.
* I was so full from that lunch -- and the trip overall -- that I didn't eat for more than 24 hours afterward. Ha! :D
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