Chicago Walking Tour

I just returned from my third trip to Chicago and I decided it was time for me to do a little more obvious sight seeing, so I signed up for the Historic Skyscrapers Walking Tour. I met my group at 10:00 am for our two hour tour feeling pretty good about the three shirts I was wearing, in addition to a sweater and coat, two pairs of socks, scarf, hat, and tights under my pants, there was no way I was going to be cold. The group turned out to consist of me and one other girl from Germany. (I'm sure the size of the group had nothing to do with the fact that it was negative 4 degrees that day!!!)

(Cloud Gate. AKA The Peanut)

The tour turned out to be really interesting! There were so many intricate designs on the buildings that I had never noticed, even when I had locals showing me around. Plus the history behind all of them was informative and kept my interest. I've posted some photos below, but unfortunately my camera died mid-tour. I would definitely recommend this tour for future visitors. (Surprisingly, even in the winter!) It was conducted by a sweet older woman who was a retired English teacher and a volunteer. She really knew her stuff!

Burnham and Root’s Rookery (1888)

The Rookery's Winding Oriel Staircase

Rookery Ceiling Designed to Maximize Light
Frank Lloyd Wright Restored the Interior

La Salle Street runs through the Loop and is
considered the Financial District of Chicago

Additional stops on the Historical Skyscrapers Tour: Adler and Sullivan’s Auditorium (1889), Holabird and Roche’s Marquette Building (1895), Holabird and Root’s Chicago Board of Trade Building (1930)

By the end of the tour I was frozen to the bone. Face chapped, feet wet, and let's be honest...miserable. I made it two blocks down the road before I had to escape into a cafe for a cup of soup and a panini. I took refuge there for about an hour enjoying my hot food and book. When I finally ventured out again I walked another five blocks, cursing under my breath, and slipped into another cafe. This time I endulged in a Chai tea and a scrumptuous lemon bar. The plan for the day was to walk the city while my friend was at work. Ya..................NOT A GOOD PLAN! I ended up taking a nap in her office while she finished work. I never fully warmed up until later that night when I spent an hour in a scalding hot shower.

Funeral Potatoes

Somehow my friend in Chicago heard about Utah's "funeral potatoes". She has been asking me to make them since my first visit last year. So last night I went to the grocery store, purchased the necessary ingredients, including corn flakes for authenticity, and set out to wow her. The potatoes, I thought, turned out good, however her response was pretty anticlimactic. I guess just us Utahn's can truly appreciate the cheesy, sour creamy goodness of funeral potatoes. I told her about the different versions of this dish and she said she'd be up to trying a different one. She was shocked to learn that at my grandpa's funeral there were at least 5 different variations. I'm guessing she's now not so interested in trying the jello dish I was planning on introducing her to! Anyone have any to-die-for funeral potato recipes?

Urban Sledding

I'm currently visiting my friend Lisa in Chicago and she asked if I wanted to go sledding?

"Um...sure, but there aren't any hills" was my reply.

This is how the city kids go sledding. Notice the traffic in the background. Also notice that by sledding I mean me pulling a sled along the snowy sidewalk.

It was Sean's first time sledding, and considering how cold it is in Chicago right now, I was suprised that he loved it. Plus he looks so adorable in all his snow gear!

We made a stop at a nearby park to hit the icy slides. Got to do what you can to make up for the abscence of hills!

He was so tuckered out that he just layed his head down on the way home.

I wouldn't trade my childhood sledding experiences for anything. There is nothing like repeatedly hiking up a huge hill, piling two or three girls on a tube, and flying down the mountain (or so it felt like a mountain at that age). I also can't forget the joy of hitting jumps only to fly off and get the wind knocked out of you. It's good for ya, makes kids tough!