Summer is DEFINITELY my favorite, and I love the adventures that I have each year… but somehow, in the crazy mix of things I miss out on sharing them all on the blog.
In an attempt to catch you guys up on some of the fun… I’m going to share one of my favorite trips year-to-date. In this stunning city.
CHICAGO
If you follow me on Instagram, you saw me post pictures of the amazing trip I took in June to one of my favorite cities. For as long as I can remember, Angela and I have said that we were going to take a trip to Chicago to visit our friend Laurel. But my busy life + Angela’s pursuit of her doctorate, we just didn’t get there… until this year!!
I’ve known both of these ladies since college. Not only are they some of the brightest, most talented, driven women I ran across during my time at MTSU, but we’ve also kept in touch over the years and I’m inspired by them daily. Fun Fact: We were consecutive presidents of our sorority in college, which I think is fun. Me (1998), Angela (1999), Laurel (2000)… yep, it’s was a little bit of a Kappa Delta presidential reunion at the same time!
Our weekend in Chicago was INCREDIBLE. Well worth the wait. Here’s a few things we got into over the weekend…
We visited Food Network Star Jeff Mauro’s Restaurant in Wicker Park . Angela and I are mega-Mauro fans (crust to crust is a must, y’all!!) so we were super psyched to dine in his new shop. So so yummy!! We wrapped up the afternoon shopping like crazy at Fabrik during their opening weekend. If you haven’t been to Wicker Park, go!!! It’s my favorite little hipster neighborhood in Chicago. LOVE.
Next, we experienced the Windy City skyline via Lake Michigan and Tall Ship Windy – – This is THE architectural tour to go on when in chi-town. When else do you get to ride a pirate ship on a beautiful day and learn about the city?? We LOVED it!
The next day, we shopped Michigan Avenue,. While it is always a blast being in the hustle and bustle of the city, truth be told, I prefer Wicker Park for shopping. Not that that kept me from shopping downtown, of course. Pssh.
Also of note, I tried my first Chicago dog at Portillos (sorry, folks, I prefer ketchup!) and we dined at my favorite tapas restaurant Cafe Babareeba before packing up to head home.
While we spent a ton of time schlepping around the city (my Apple watch LOVED the activity I was tracking!!), the best moments we spent were those ones where we were talking about life. Talking about goals, dreams, and laughing. SO MUCH LAUGHING. I am once again entirely grateful (beyond measure!) for the many wonderful women that I have in my life… and particularly for these two. I can’t wait to see where our next adventures take us!!
Thanks, Laurel, for hosting us for an amazing weekend!!! Stop by Friday to see the recipe inspiration that popped up on this trip! Hint: Think BREAKFAST.