Chicago...


Hey Loves! I took a trip to Chicago at the end of last week and had a ball! The lease was up on my apartment so I went to sell the remaining pieces of furniture, clean up the place and turn my keys into the management office.


When I was planning the trip, I thought it would be different and/or fun to take the train instead of fly. Let me say this, I will never take the train again. EVER! I slept most of the way but my initial thought when I boarded was, "This doesn't look like the train in Harry Potter.....". The people were just as kooky, but I was annoyed when the train broke down and made several pit stops during the journey. I was 2 hours late getting to Chicago and 5 hours late coming back home. The $150 discount I saved, purchasing a train ticket verse a plane ticket, just wasn't worth the head ache of being late.


When I finally got to Chicago, I immediately had a buyer come to look at the furniture I was selling. To my amazement, she offered a flat rate to take everything off my hands! Score! Once she left though, I realized I didn't keep a single table, cushion or chair. For the next 4 days I camped out in my living room. Sigh. I don't know how I keep putting myself in these crazy predicaments.

The picture above is me and the mini picnic I was enjoying before I met a couple of friends for drinks. If you guys are ever in Chicago, pleeeeeease try a Mexican restaurant called Carbon. The tilapia burrito and pineapple salsa will change your life.



Since my apartment is located in a high rise downtown, I always enjoyed watching the storms come in from the west. This was my view on Friday. Pretty right? Please excuse the Arizona Green Tea bottle.


The thing that has always attracted me to Chicago is Lake Michigan. I love large bodies of water and was a frequent visitor of the lake when I lived there. For old time sake, I took a run along the lakefront to clear my head and take in the view. It did not disappoint me.


The waves were abnormally high on Saturday and were coming up and over the concrete barriers. Love.

Let's talk shopping. Mmmmmmm. Denver still doesn't have an H&M, so I'm always excited and giddy when I walk through their doors. Whew, I wenta little crazy. There was also a lot of buzz surrounding Chicago's first Top Shop store that opened on the Magnificent Mile, so of course I planned a visit. It was beautiful.


Here's the view from my apartment on the last night of my visit. Although I'm really going to miss it, letting go of my apartment here opens up doors for bigger and better things in my future.


I never took the train when I was a resident, so I felt a sense of accomplishment when I navigated my way around Chicago's public transit.

People ask me all the time, "Why do you love Chicago so much?!" This picture is why. As I was shopping (my 2nd visit to H&M), I realized State Street was closed off. People were in the middle of the pavement playing four square, coloring with chalk and dropping people in dunk tanks. Once you leave your home, you never know what fun activities you may encounter.

A view of the Chicago river.

My trip home on the train.

Hope you guys had a great weekend!!!

Love.