Lori, her daughter, Daltyn, Mac and I took a trip into the city. I felt I needed to redeem my directionless self after my mishaps with Pam. I spent some time looking online at the bus schedules so we could avoid looking like complete idiots again.
It took a while, (and I'm asking myself..."is it supposed to be this confusing or am I just that much of a ninny?") but I did finally figure out which bus to take and where it picks up.
The train ride seemed longer this time....maybe it's due to the fact that we had teenagers along asking "how long is this gonna take" and "how many more stops do we have to make before we are there?" or maybe it was the lack of the entertainment of sloshed college students.
The train station was a lot less busy on a weekday. We were able to take our time exiting the station instead of being swept up in the current of a massive crowd and being spilled outside the train station disoriented and confused.
We walked directly to our bus stop and boarded the bus without much incident.
We went to the Cheesecake Factory for lunch (I know very "touristy" of us) because we were all in need of some absurdly large slabs of ridiculously over priced cheesecake. When the waiter came to take our cheesecake orders, Daltyn asks "can I get the cookie dough cheesecake without the walnuts on top?" The waiter says "I'm sorry but its baked that way." and then Daltyn very seriously asks "well, can I pick them off then?" and the waiter looks at her like she is crazy, while Mac, Lori and I burst out laughing. That look on the waiters face alone, made the 5000 calories worth it.....maybe you had to be there....
We spent some time shopping on the mile which for me, isn't all that fun because I hate shopping (go ahead--another thing about me for which I'm regularly ridiculed). But Lori, always a great friend, indulged me by going to look at the architecture.
The architecture is my favorite thing about Chicago. I could spend all day just walking around with my neck bent back looking up.
This is the top of the Tribune building.... So pretty.
This is the Wrigley Building. It has some amazing details.
as you can see here....
This is the new Trump building. I can appreciate it's beauty and size but I prefer the more ornate older buildings.
like this one with the gold top on the right. This is my absolute favorite building. It's the old Carbide and Carbon Building. You really have to see it in person to appreciate it's beauty. On the first architectural tour I took, the tour guide told this story of how the building was set to be demolished years ago. It was covered with black soot from all the years of coal burning in the city. Then someone discovered that underneath all the layers of pollution was this beautiful black polished marble and green and gold terracotta. It was spared because of it's beauty. I have tried since then to find if this story is true....I've taken other tours and never heard it again....
I don't think it is. But I like the story so I'm gonna pretend that's what happened....
isn't it pretty?....
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3 comments:
The old buildings along the river are what I love most too, even at night. That's why I was staring in their direction and sighing all evening... :}
Too small world Tori! My son Mike and I stayed at the Hard Rock Hotel in that building two nights ago -- we loved how we could see the gold top and judge the distance to walk home -- btw I love ready your blog - you have such a great sense of humor!!
I believe I asked him if HE would pick off the walnuts for me... and I'd also like the add that he did, in fact, pick them off. :)
Walnuts are gross!
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